A MINUTE OF HEALTH WITH CDC
The Trouble with Turtles
Multistate Outbreak of Human Salmonella Infections Associated with
Exposure to Turtles — United States, 2007–2008
February 7, 2008
This program is presented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC – safer,
healthier people.
Sometimes small turtles – meaning those with a shell of 4 inches long or less –
still turn up as household pets in the United States, despite longstanding
regulations restricting their sale. Turtles are a known source of Salmonella, a
germ that can cause serious illness with diarrhea, fever, and vomiting. These
turtles may seem harmless, but their small size makes them easy for children to
handle, and get sick from Salmonella. Most people who get sick from turtles don’t
realize there’s a connection between the turtle and their illness. The best way to
prevent this illness is not to have pet turtles in your house and to teach children
not to touch turtles.
Thank you for joining us on A Minute of Health with CDC.
To access the most accurate and relevant health information that affects you, your family and
your community, please visit www.cdc.gov.
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