- Study Suggests Earlier Is Better for Heart Valve Replacement Procedures
- Bird Flu Infection Confirmed in a Pig for First Time in U.S.
- Election Fears Are Keeping Americans Awake at Night, Survey Shows
- Most Patients Can Keep Using GLP-1 Weight Loss Meds Before Surgeries
- When This Black Cat Crossed His Path, It Was a Lucky Day for Medicine
- Staying In: Did Pandemic Shift Americans’ Leisure-Time Habits Permanently?
- Costs for MS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Meds Keep Rising
- With Cases Rising, What You Need to Know About Whooping Cough
- Halloween Candy: Don’t Get Spooked by All That Sugar
- Check Your Cabinet: Some COVID Test Expiration Dates Have Been Extended, FDA Says
Salmonella Linked to Pet Turtles Has Hospitalized 5, CDC Says
Tiny turtles are the cause of a multistate outbreak of salmonella that has led to five hospitalizations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
The agency has linked an outbreak that has infected at least 15 people in 11 states to turtles that are less than 4 inches long.
Most of the small reptiles were purchased online, about half from a website called myturtlestore.com.
Federal law bans the sale of small turtles as pets.
A CDC report on the investigation said the true number of people infected is likely higher, but many recover without testing or medical care. In the known cases, many of those infected are children.
Typically, salmonella infection includes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps that develop sometime between six hours and six days after exposure to the bacteria.
The illness usually lasts about four to seven days, though some people will develop severe symptoms requiring hospitalization. Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.
The CDC advises not buying turtles with shells that are less than 4 inches long. The agency says turtles longer than 4 inches should be purchased only from reputable pet stores or rescues. Here are some of the CDC’s other recommendations:
- Don’t get a turtle if you are in a group more vulnerable to salmonella.
- Stay healthy by always washing your hands after touching, feeding or caring for your turtle. Ensure that your children are also washing their hands well after handling the turtle.
- If you have a turtle you no longer want, do not discard it. Call your local pet store or reptile rescue for help.
State health departments can answer questions about infections in specific states.
More information
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more on salmonella.
SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 21, 2022
Source: HealthDay
Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Related
-
Late-Life Menopause Linked to Higher Asthma RiskWomen who enter menopause at a later age have...
- October 30, 2024
-
Biden Proposes That Insurers Cover Over-the-Counter Birth ControlHealth insurers would be required to cover the cost...
- October 21, 2024
-
Some IUDs May Raise The Odds for Breast Cancer, But Overall Risk Remains LowIntrauterine devices (IUDs) may raise the chances of a...
- October 18, 2024
-
Hope for New Test, Treatment for EndometriosisEndometriosis could be linked to the health of a...
- October 11, 2024
