Pet Turtles Cause Salmonella Outbreak in Pennsylvania

January 2008

Urgent alert for parents – think twice before buying your child a pet turtle. A strain of salmonella carried by the skin, shell, and feces of small pet turtles has sickened over 100 people in 33 states, including PA.

The most common symptoms of infection reported to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) include bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever, and vomiting. At least 24 patients have been hospitalized for more severe illnesses, including acute kidney failure. Many of those infected were children under the age of 10, reports the CDC.

Salmonella carried by small turtles is highly contagious and accounts for six percent of salmonella infections. Federal law prohibits the sale of turtles with shells shorter than four inches, but this regulation is not consistently enforced. The CDC estimates that approximately two million small turtles are kept as pets in the United States.