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Health See other Health Articles Title: Pet Turtles Can Make People Sick: Guidance for Clinicians Small turtles have been making people sick for decades. Clinicians need to take specific steps to help protect patients and their families. In the United States, selling turtles with a shell less than 4 inches in length has been banned by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) since 1975.[1] Despite the FDA's ban, small turtles continue to be sold in a variety of venues, including stores, flea markets, and fairs, and from roadside or street vendors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published a report[2] describing an outbreak involving 132 people who became ill with salmonellosis from August 2010 to September 2011 that was linked to contact with small turtles and their habitats. During this outbreak, interviews were conducted with 56 patients, and 36 (64%) of them reported exposure to a turtle in the week preceding their illness. For 15 patients who could recall the type of turtle they touched, 14 identified small turtles with a shell length of less than 4 inches. These turtles were subject to the FDA ban and should not have been for sale to the public. This was the fifth multistate outbreak of human Salmonella infections associated with small turtles in the past 5 years. These outbreaks illustrate that contact with small turtles remains an important source of human Salmonella infections, especially for high-risk patients, including young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those who are immunocompromised. Small turtles pose a risk to young children because they are mistakenly thought to be safe pets; they are small enough to be placed in the mouth and they can be handled as toys. Although young children are especially at risk for serious illness, anyone can get sick from handling the turtle or its environment, including the water from containers or aquariums where they live. This water can also cross-contaminate areas where tanks are kept or cleaned, which can indirectly lead to illness in people who did not directly touch a turtle or its habitat. As a healthcare provider, you can help prevent the spread of zoonotic Salmonella infections by doing the following: Ask patients and parents about contact with animals, both in the home and away from home, in places such as daycares, schools, and animal exhibits such as petting zoos or stores. Educate your patients and their families about the risks for Salmonella and other zoonotic infections from small turtles and other reptiles. Share prevention recommendations, and advise patients that some pets are not appropriate for children younger than 5 years or other high-risk people. Small turtles are never appropriate pets. Remind all patients that simple precautions, such as good handwashing practices following the handling of animals or anything in the animal's environment, can reduce the risk for zoonotic infections. Remind patients to clean the reptile's habitat outside the home -- not in the kitchen sink or bathtub. Educational materials are available here and can be distributed in waiting rooms and exam rooms. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
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Symptoms of Salmonella Infection Know the symptoms of Salmonella infection and test patients when appropriate. Salmonella infections most commonly cause acute gastroenteritis with fever, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. The incubation period is 12-72 hours and the illness duration is typically 4-7 days. Most Salmonella infections do not require treatment other than oral rehydration, although patients with severe diarrhea may require rehydration with intravenous fluids. Antimicrobial therapy is not usually indicated unless you suspect that the patient has invasive disease. Serious illnesses that can result from a Salmonella infection include sepsis, joint infections, and meningitis, and infections can result in death, especially in patients with underlying health conditions (HIV infection, other immunocompromising conditions, and sickle cell anemia). For more information, please see the resources on this page. As a healthcare provider, you can help ensure that your patients are able to enjoy their pets without getting sick.
This Turtle is a very large Turtle.
I sense a disturbance in the farce. Much gnashing will ensue.
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