The CDC has updated information on the ongoing (if not ever-present) salmonellosis outbreaks linked to pet turtles. At last count, there were 133 illnesses (although it’s likely that this represents a fraction of the people that actually got sick), with 38 of those requiring hospitalization. Forty-one percent (41%) were kids under the age of five, reflecting both the increased contact kids have with turtles and their increased susceptibility to disease.
More details can be found on the CDCs webpage on Salmonella outbreaks (where you can also find information on Salmonella outbreaks related to things other than turtles). The CDC also has an infosheet on the topic entitled “The Trouble with Tiny Turtles“. We also have a turtle infosheet on the Worms & Germs Resources – Pets page.