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Pet Turtles Cause Record Salmonella Outbreak

by Robin Wallace

Browse News

BY CATEGORY:
BY PET:

January 28, 2008

SECAUCUS, N.J. – Pet turtles are the center of a salmonella outbreak. More than 100 cases have been reported in 33 states across the country since August.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, this is the largest recorded outbreak of its kind. At least 24 of the 100 sickened people have been hospitalized.

Some have experienced severe symptoms such as acute kidney failure. But most suffered from bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever and vomiting.

Unfortunately, most of those cases were children, who became sick after coming in contact with the pet turtles.

Bred in crowded conditions, small turtles are prone to carrying the bacteria.

While the infected turtles were purchased at pet shops, flea markets or street vendors, the CDC is still investigating if the outbreak can be traced to a common turtle distributor or farm.

Officials advise that hands always should be washed after touching turtles. Parents should also carefully consider the purchase of small turtles as pets for children.

Although they might be the cutest of small turtles, the “mini turtles” have been prohibited from sale in the U.S since 1975. For more information on this issue, click on the link below.

Tell us what you think under this story. Post your favorite pet videos at the zootooTV tab. E-mail us your story ideas at news@zootoo.com or call us at 877-777-4204.



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health & science, alerts, reptiles

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oldmaidcatwoman
oldmaidcatwoman
2 days ago
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We had one of the mini turtles when we were kids. We always had to wash our hands after we touched it, but I never really even thought about why until now.
 
Jason M.
Jason M. (jmm11874)
3 months ago
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Turtles are cute, but I'm not sure they even want to be my pet, so they can stay in the wild as far as I'm concerned.
 
MisterUn
MisterUn
3 months ago
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You should wash your hands well after handling any pet to prevent such things from happening.
 
Wanda & Veronica ;.
Wanda & Veronica ;. (WandaLou)
3 months ago
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This is terrible that they carry this. I never knew it until the articles on zootoo. I feel for them. They like to be loved too.
 
zephyr47
zephyr47
3 months ago
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I have never liked the thought of a turtle being kept in a small glass tank anyway. The fact that they carry such a potentially harmful disease adds weight to the argument they shouldn't be kept as pets.
 
Renee M.
Renee M. (rap7176)
3 months ago
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I'd have to agree with you there. It doesn't really seem fair, the way most of them are housed.
 
gdpar4
gdpar4
3 months ago
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I've heard this before. Sounds like we shouldn't have pet turtles.
 
conni F.
conni F. (breathlessconni)
4 months ago
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We were always careful to wash our hands after cleaning our turtles' tanks or handling them. Salmonella is so strange & dangerous.
 
Sarah H.
Sarah H. (smhammel)
4 months ago
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I had never heard of this, but it seems likely that poor breeding habitats and conditions lead to the spread of this problem in the turtles.
 
Rhonda T.
Rhonda T. (MrsRLT)
4 months ago
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I agree with praisethekitty. Sounds like a turtle mill. They are animals that need creature comforts and health just like the rest of us.
 
Praisethekitty
Praisethekitty
5 months ago
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Sounds like there are turtle mills out there--sounds like inhumane breeding conditions. But I suppose turtles are just commodities to these people, the same as any milled animal
 
Keri W.
Keri W. (keri1312)
8 months ago
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Sad.
 
Don G.
Don G. (DonaldG)
9 months ago
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Salmonella bacteria lives on the skin of just about every living creature even you. So you should wash your hands before eating or placing your hands near your mouth. this is common sense.
 
alexis93
alexis93
1 year ago
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wow
 
Mumzy
Mumzy
1 year ago
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i touch my pet frogs all the time.
getting a disease is random.
 
MrSoul
MrSoul
1 year ago
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Always wash your hands after handling ANY animal, especially turtles. Turtles are prohibited from being kept as pets in some states for just such reasons.
 
Jessica W.
Jessica W. (cocacola555)
1 year ago
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A terrible disease.
 
loosey
loosey
1 year ago
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I never really thought about this!!!!! This is enough to push me over the edge into becoming a serious germaphobe!!!!
 
M17
M17
1 year ago
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wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands....and use alcohol based hand rub. doctors, nurses, etc do this because ALL animals carry germs including people.
 
Seana B.
Seana B. (funkiemunkee)
1 year ago
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So much of any kind of disease can be prevented when people wash their hands frequently. I am continually grossed out when I people watch and see the things they do not do when it comes to basic sanitation and hand washing. UGH! Its not the turtle's fault, but the recklessness and oversight of the people. Yesterday I was at a local feed store and saw they had baby chicks, as well as handouts on the relationship between baby birds, salmonella and the importance of hand washing. Thats was awesome!
 
Cindy Q.
Cindy Q. (cindypurple)
1 year ago
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wow
 
rena t.
rena t. (rena28614)
1 year ago
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you should always wash your hands before and after you pick up a turtle of any size!
 
Satana H.
Satana H. (ksatana)
1 year ago
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Hopefully this gets contained soon.
 
Scott J.
Scott J. (Scott9843)
1 year ago
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i hope that no one was awfully sick.
 
lizzyxlove
lizzyxlove
1 year ago
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I hope that they are successful in stopping the outbreak and can locate where it originated from.
 
SexyChris
SexyChris
1 year ago
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How sad that all these children are getting sick. Don't sell them to children because they are not good at remembering to wash their hands.
 
5doxiemom
5doxiemom
1 year ago
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It is the parents responsibility to see that their children learn proper hand washing technique.Its as simply as that wash your hands.
 
Tiffany S.
Tiffany S. (shockleylauren)
1 year ago
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I hope they are able to locate where this originated from.
 
Children should not own turtles as pets. I hope they are successful in tracing where the outbreak originated from.
 
Lillian S.
Lillian S. (dales8774)
1 year ago
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I agree that they should not be sold to children. They are known to not be good hand washers as it is.
 
Connie G.
Connie G. (cgleason)
1 year ago
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I had a pet turtle as a child and can tell you that I didn't care for it properly. In fact I lost it in the front yard for a week before it was found again. I think they are cute, but it's better for the turtles and better for the children that they not be allowed to be sold.
 
David R.
David R. (Wally)
1 year ago
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I agree with you. We had a small turtle and my sister used to kiss it all of the time. I doubt that we bothered to wash our hands. I don't remember getting salmonella but it's possible.

Parents should be aware that children are not conscientious about many things. No matter how often you are told to wash your hands as a child, you will try to avoid it in my experience.
 
Karen M.
Karen M. (Karemel)
1 year ago
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I remember wanting a turtle when I was young but you couldn't get them. Of course I didn't understand why then. They are such cute little things. Good story to provide information and education to people.
 
cwasson
cwasson
1 year ago
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I think I remember hearing about this way back when. It's good to be reminded of the necessary precautions we need to take when handling animals/pets.
 
PAULDESNOYERS
PAULDESNOYERS
1 year ago
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Interesting article. As a child I never had a turtle, wish I had.
 
esther d.
esther d. (estherdesnoyers)
1 year ago
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I have always insisted that the kids wash their hands after handling any reptiles, tutles.
 
Sharon L.
Sharon L. (SharonLinch)
1 year ago
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As cute as they are, and I love them, it's probably not a good idea to let kids have turtles at all. Years ago, we didn't even think of all the diseases animals may carry.
 
EK4567
EK4567
1 year ago
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Wow.....
 
Kim T.
Kim T. (kimboli08)
1 year ago
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this is why cleaniness is important
 
Jacob H.
Jacob H. (jhupp22)
1 year ago
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i have a snake and got salmonella and it is the sickest i have ever been it is awful
 
Sharon L.
Sharon L. (SharonLinch)
1 year ago
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Another good reason not to have a snake.
 
ruthie
ruthie (ruthiegirl66)
1 year ago
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I've heard its not just turtles but reptiles in general that carry bacteria in their saliva
 
jdarunner
jdarunner
1 year ago
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WOW!!!!!!!
 
Lana S.
Lana S. (critterfriend)
1 year ago
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I work with children so we never let them have turtles in the center. I read about this several years ago and have always been afraid to let my own child play with turtles. It is good to have this article so more people will be informed!
 
TimDemp30
TimDemp30
1 year ago
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Wow, this website and these articles are making me so much more aware of the different issues with animals out there. I've never owned a pet turtle, but parents need to be aware of this before buying one for their kids. And pet shops need to monitor the situation.
 
kchels
kchels
1 year ago
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wow
 
JyGod
JyGod
1 year ago
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People just aren't smart - keep your hands clean! And, keep the turtle's tank clean!
 
Joann B.
Joann B. (JMTB)
1 year ago
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I always knew of the problem. I thought everyone else did too & that it was under control. Hard to believe there's a record outbreak of Salmonella. It's amazing people don't follow the simple rule of "wash your hands" just in everyday life. That simple rule can stop the spread of lots of things. Teach children until it becomes second nature.
 
David R.
David R. (Wally)
1 year ago
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A lot of rebellious or even not so rebellious children will take short-cuts with hand washing. The concept of illness can be quite vague to children too.
 
jill l.
jill l. (JillLong)
1 year ago
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I had no idea that turtles were prone to carrying salmonella. I've never heard of this before. I would not recommend buying any animals from the "pet store" or from a flea market. I hope that they will be able to find the source of the outbreak.
 
sheri
sheri (moonstardance)
1 year ago
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Parents need to teach their kids to wash their hands.
 
Cindy M.
Cindy M. (krazykritter12)
1 year ago
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I wonder if they were able to trace this to a breeder? I wish they would do follow ups on some of these stories.
 
Ustice101
Ustice101
1 year ago
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heres a thinker, keep your hands clean
 
Kristina R.
Kristina R. (babykristina32)
1 year ago
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Turtles are cute, but they are nasty little creatures.
 
iseeurn
iseeurn
1 year ago
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best defense against germs is a no brainer---- wash your hands!
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