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Eight Multistate Outbreaks of Human Salmonella Infections Linked to Small Turtles (Final Update)

Posted October 18, 2013 3:00 PM ET

These outbreaks appear to be over. However, small turtles continue to be an important cause of human Salmonella infections in the United States. More information about Salmonella from reptiles and amphibians and the steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection is available.

Highlights

  • Read the Advice to Pet Owners »
  • Read the Advice to Those Who Sell Turtles »
  • A total of 473 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella were reported from 41 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
    • 29% of ill persons were hospitalized, and no deaths were reported.
    • 70% of ill persons were children 10 years of age or younger, and 31% of ill persons were children 1 year of age or younger.
    • 44% of ill persons were of Hispanic ethnicity. Information about the association between reptiles and Salmonella is available in Spanish.
  • Epidemiologic, environmental, and traceback investigations indicated exposure to turtles or their environments (e.g., water from a turtle habitat) was the cause of these eight outbreaks.
    • 69% of ill persons with available information reported exposure to turtles before their illness.
    • 88% of ill persons with turtle exposure specifically reported exposure to small turtles (shell length less than 4 inches).
    • 31% of ill persons with small turtles reported purchasing the turtles from street vendors, and 18% reported purchasing small turtles from pet stores.
  • Traceback investigations of turtles purchased from Florida souvenir shops in Outbreak 3 identified two turtle farms in Louisiana as the source of those turtles.
    • The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry issued cease and desist orders in March 2013 for the source farms; therefore, turtles with a shell length of less than 4 inches from these farms are no longer being sold domestically. 
    • The source of turtles in other outbreaks could not be identified because of the challenges of tracing small turtles that are sold illegally by transient vendors.
  • Since 1975, the Food and Drug Administration has banned the sale and distribution of turtles with a shell length of less than 4 inches in size as pets. These small turtles should not be purchased as pets or given as gifts.
  • The numbers of new cases have declined substantially since the peak of the outbreak, but illnesses are still being reported among people who have contact with small turtles.
    • The outbreak is expected to continue at a low level for the next several months since consumers might be unaware of the risk of Salmonella infection from reptiles including small turtles. If properly cared for, small turtles have a long life expectancy.
  • Small turtles continue to be an important cause of human Salmonella infections in the United States.
    • More information about Salmonella from reptiles and amphibians and the steps people can take to reduce their risk of infection is available.

Outbreak Summary