CDC investigation notice: Tiny turtles, illegal to sell as pets, causing Salmonella illnesses again in young kids

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigation notice regarding multistate outbreaks of Salmonella infections has been posted: https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/turtles-08-24/index.html.

Key points:

• CDC has received 51 reports of Salmonella illness from 21 states linked to contact with small turtles (shells less than 4 inches long).
• Forty-eight percent of people have been hospitalized (23 out of 48). No deaths have been reported.
• This outbreak is affecting young children. Seventeen are children under 5 years and 10 are children under the age of 1 year.
• A federal law bans the sale and distribution of turtles with shells less than 4 inches long as pets because of the repeated illnesses and outbreaks.
• Despite the ban, some online retailers, pet stores, and roadside markets continue to sell small turtles.

CDC release