Pet Turtles May Be Harmful to Your Health
Posted on: Wednesday, 21 September 2005, 03:00 CDT
The FDA is alerting parents to the danger of human disease from small turtles, which are illegal as pets. Small turtles are a source of salmonellosis, an infection of the intestines caused by bacteria called Salmonella.
Symptoms of salmonellosis may include diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and headache. Symptoms begin in six to 72 hours after a person is exposed to Salmonella, and they generally last for two to seven days. Salmonella, which occur naturally in turtles, usually do not make them sick.
Anyone can get salmonellosis, but the risk is highest in infants and young children, older people, and others with weakened immune systems.
The sale of turtles with a shell (carapace) length less than four inches has been banned in the United States since 1975 because of the public health impact of turtle-associated salmonellosis. The FDA enforces this regulation in cooperation with state and local health jurisdictions. Experts estimate that the regulation has prevented about 100,000 cases of salmonellosis a year; however, there has been an increase in the sale of turtles in recent years.
The FDA urges parents and others responsible for the care of children to be alert for any turtles in petting zoos, parks, child day care facilities, or other locations. People who come in contact with turtles or their housing should wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water.
Copyright Superintendent of Documents Sep/Oct 2005
Source: FDA Consumer
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