Freshwater turtles from wetlands can transmit Salmonella to humans
Monday, January 13, 2014 - 15:00
in Health & Medicine
Professors have studied 200 specimens of freshwater turtles from eleven Valencian wetland areas, to determine the prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in these animals, because of their potential risk of transmitting gastrointestinal diseases to humans, especially children. According to the results, 11% of the analyzed specimens of freshwater turtles were found positive for Salmonella. However, Campylobacter was not detected in any of them. This is the first study to rule out terrapins as transmitters of campylobacteriosis to humans.