When People Got Sick: Salmonella Outbreak, Small Turtles - August 2024

Key points

These outbreak investigations are over. Although any turtle can carry Salmonella germs that can spread to you and make you sick, turtles with shells less than 4 inches long are a known source of illness. Always take steps to stay healthy around your pet turtle.

Red Eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)
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When people got sick

This chart shows when the 63 people in these Salmonella outbreaks got sick.

The true number of sick people in these outbreaks was also likely much higher than the number reported. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella.

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)