Does anyone know a lot about Salmonella Disease?

Question

How is it spread? What happens to you if you catch it? Is it deadly?
I just got a turtle, that someone gave me, someone told me some turtles carry salmonella and I just want to find out the risks of keeping it.
Thanks!

Answer 1

The excerpts below are from the two sources given respectively...

Infection with any of several species of the gram-negative bacilli Salmonella results in gastroenteritis and sometimes local tissue infections.

About 2,200 types of Salmonella are known, including the one that causes typhoid fever (see Bacterial Infections: Typhoid Fever). Each type can produce gastrointestinal upset, enteric fever, and specific localized infections. With the exception of the type that causes typhoid fever, Salmonella infects the digestive tracts of many domestic and wild animals, birds, and reptiles. Contaminated foods—particularly meat, poultry, eggs, egg products, and raw milk—are common sources of Salmonella. Another source is infected pet reptiles (snakes, lizards, turtles). Up to 90% of pet reptiles in the United States are infected with Salmonella. Salmonella infections are a significant public health problem in the United States.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of Salmonella infection are usually confined to the digestive tract and start 12 to 48 hours after ingesting Salmonella. The first symptoms are nausea and cramping abdominal pain, soon followed by watery diarrhea, fever, and sometimes vomiting. The infection is often gone within 1 to 4 days, but it may last much longer. Some people become carriers and continue to pass the bacteria in their stool well after symptoms are gone.

Very rarely, Salmonella leaves the intestines and travels through the bloodstream to infect other sites, such as the bones (particularly in people with sickle cell disease), joints, or heart valves. Occasionally, a tumor may become infected and develop an abscess that provides a source for continued blood infection.

Diagnosis is confirmed in a laboratory by culturing a rectal swab or sample of stool or blood taken from an infected person.

Treatment

Salmonella gastroenteritis is treated with fluids and a bland diet. Antibiotics do not shorten recovery time but do prolong the excretion of bacteria in the stool and are therefore usually not given. However, infants, people in nursing homes, and those with a weakened immune system are given antibiotics because they are at higher risk for complications. In carriers who do not have symptoms, the infection usually resolves on its own; antibiotic treatment is rarely needed and may not be effective.

People with Salmonella in their blood must take antibiotics for 4 to 6 weeks. Abscesses (collections of pus) are treated by surgical drainage and 4 weeks of antibiotic therapy. People with infection in blood vessels, heart valves, or other sites generally require surgery and prolonged antibiotic therapy.

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Salmonella-associated diseases
Main article: Salmonellosis
Disease-causing Salmonella species have recently been re-classified into a single species, Salmonella enterica, which has numerous serovars. Salmonella Typhi causes typhoid fever. Other salmonellae are frequent causes of foodborne illness, especially from poultry and raw eggs and more generally from food that has been cooked or frozen, and not eaten straight away. While these infections would normally only require a treatment of antibiotics, the long-term usage of antibiotics in both the poultry and beef industries may have created a strain of salmonella which is potentially resistant to antibiotics.[citation needed]

Salmonellosis can also be caught by handling reptiles, such as iguanas or terrapins. A CDC study also noted cases of salmonellosis in 2003 and 2004 associated with handling commercially distributed pet rodents. [1]

Answer 2

I've dealt with reptile Salmonella quite a bit in my work. In terms of turtle-associated Salmonella cases, it's been Salmonella typhimurium lately. There are lots of types of Salmonella, though. S. enteriditis and S. newport are also common in reptiles. In case you do get Salmonella, here are some major symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, headache and fever.
See the doctor, provide a stool sample and mention that you have a pet turtle. Generally, lots of people enjoy having reptiles for pets and don't have problems as long as they adhere to some rules (see below).

1. You should buy turtles with shells larger than 4 inches in length. Anything smaller can wind up in the mouths of babies. Yes, that sounds silly, but it is a common source of infection. If your turtle is smaller than 4 inches, then I trust you are old enough not to stick it in your mouth and to keep it away from toddlers and babies.

2. Always wash your hands after: handling your pet turtle, feeding your turtle, or cleaning its terrarium.

3. Don't put your turtle on eating surfaces like kitchen counters or dining tables. If you do, wipe down the surface with a sanitizing cloth (like a Clorox wipe).

4. Don't give your turtle kisses. Don't nuzzle your turtle. Your turtle doesn't like you in that way, and you could get sick.

Answer 3

Guinea pigs have the same problem, but we've never caught it off our guinea pigs. (It might be different if you were EATING the guinea pigs.)

Basically, you catch salmonella by eating food that is contaminated with it. Make sure you always wash your hands with soap (NOT anti-bacterial soap) after you play with the turtle (as well as before you prepare or eat food) and you should be alright. There are heaps of other ways you can catch salmonella (eg eating at an unsanitary restaurant), so don't worry about your turtle.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause violent vomiting, diarrhoea and gastro-intestinale bleeding. (We had an outbreak from people eating infected peanut butter, when I was in high-school.)

Answer 4

I had Salmonella when i was in high school along time ago. I was so sick. It was like the flu only for a month straight. It was bad, I had to go to the hospital an everything. I couldnt keep food down, I had really bad diarea problems, and your stomach does not stop turning. I had to be hooked up to I.V's to regain strength. (although I have never head of anyone getting this from a turtle.)

Answer 5

The prevention of Salmonella as a food illness involves effective sanitizing of food contact surfaces. Alcohol has proven to be an effective topical sanitizer against Salmonella.

Answer 6

Salmonella is not a disease. Its a bacteria something like botulism.

Answer 7

With any pet, you have to keep your hands washed before and after you touch it. You'll be okay if you do that.

Answer 8

Here ya go http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/salmonellosis_g.htm

Answer 9

no samonella is a poultry disease so theres nothin 2 worry about