Here are five things to know.
1. Health officials identified 37 illnesses linked to Salmonella exposure from pet turtles across 13 states from March 1 to Aug. 3.
2. CDC has reported cases in California (1), Connecticut (3), Illinois (4), Louisiana (2), Maryland (2), Massachusetts (2), Mississippi (1), New Jersey (1), New York (11), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (5), Texas (1) and Washington (1).
3. The outbreak has caused 16 hospitalizations, but no deaths.
4. The strain responsible for the infections is Salmonella Agbeni.
5. To avoid infections, the CDC recommends individuals thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water after touching turtles, as all turtles can carry Salmonella bacteria. Turtles should be kept out of households containing children under 5 years old, adults over 65 years of age or individuals with weakened immune systems.
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