Small pet turtles blamed for salmonella outbreak that sickened 15 people

CDC warns people to not buy turtles less than four inches long

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A nationwide salmonella outbreak that has seen cases in 11 states has been traced to online turtle sales, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Health officials say that they have seen infections of the bacterial disease in Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.

The CDC says that in May the Tennessee Department of Health collected samples from two turtles owned by someone who had become sick.

And tests showed that those turtles, bought online, had salmonella.

Officials say that 15 people have become infected and five hospitalised, but that there have been no deaths,

Many of the cases in the outbreak are among children, according to the CDC, and they believe the actual number of cases is far higher than has been reported.

“Do not buy small turtles with shells less than four inches long,” the CDC wrote in its investigation notice.

“A federal law bans the sale of these small turtles as pets because they have caused many Salmonella outbreaks, but they are sometimes available for sale online and at stores, flea markets, and roadside stands.”

The agency added that any size of turtle can spread salmonella “even if they look healthy and clean.”

Symptoms of salmonella infections include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and stomach cramps are common.