Small turtles may carry salmonella

In a report released Thursday, investigators from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and elsewhere describe several cases of salmonella infection, including one fatality, linked to exposure to small turtles.

Turtles and other reptiles are well-known reservoirs for Salmonella. Small turtles are particularly risky because they are often given to children as pets and handled like toys. Although the sale or distribution of small turtles measuring less than 4 inches was officially outlawed in the US in 1975, cases of turtle-associated salmonella infection continue to occur.

In the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for July 6, twenty-two cases of turtle-associated infection with Salmonella in young children are described. The cases occurred in 2006 and 2007.

The fatal case involved a 3-week-old infant and testing confirmed that the type of salmonella present was indistinguishable from the one found on the family's small pet turtle.

Hand washing with soap and water after touching reptiles or their cages and keeping them out of food-preparation areas is critical in preventing Salmonella infection, the researchers emphasize.

Still, "prohibiting the sale of small turtles likely remains the most effective public health action to prevent turtle-associated salmonellosis."

source : news.yahoo.com