Pet Turtles and Salmonella

FDA is warning parents that turtles can be a source of Salmonellosis, and so they're not suitable pets in households with small children. In fact, FDA has banned the sale of small turtles since 1975 because of the Salmonella risk.
Salmonella are carried routinely in the GI tract of the turtle. The turtle shows no signs of infection and then sporadically will shed the bacteria. Turtles with Salmonella usually do not appear sick in any way.
Of course anybody can catch salmonella, but when the infection occurs in infants or small children, it can be more serious. Also, young children are likely to handle their pets and then, without washing their hands, they handle food or touch their mouths, and of course, that increases the possibility of ingesting the bacteria. Salmonella infection can also be especially serious in the elderly, pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems, including chemotherapy and transplant patients.
Turtles in settings such as daycare facilities and petting zoos can also carry salmonella, so parents should thoroughly wash their children's hands with soap and water after they've done the handling.

The bottom line is that turtles are not suitable pets in households with young children, the elderly or immuno-compromised people. Remember that the salmonella carried by these animals can be a serious threat to health.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Pet
• Turtles
• Salmonella
• Children
• Elderly
• Pregnant
• Compromised
• Immune
• Systems
• FDA

[salmonella4everyone]

Baby turtles look like cookies to young children. Salmonella cookies.

[Fleefles]

Or you could just wash your hands. Is raw chicken or eggs not suitable to be in he househould of children/elderly? What about cats or dogs? Their feces transmit diseases and in the case of dogs they could even maul people. Oh noes. :(