[Salmonella infections acquired from exotic pets]

The majority of non-typhoidal Salmonella infections are foodborne, with undercooked eggs, chicken and red meat being the most important sources. Transmission from exotic pets, reptiles in particular, may account for 3-5% of human Salmonella cases. We describe a case of S. Saintpaul infection in an eight-month-old infant. A food source was unlikely because the infant was fed from a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube and the food tested negative for Salmonella. The family kept pet turtles, and S. Saintpaul with indistinguishable pulsed field gel electrophoresis patterns was isolated from the turtle water. The infant's older sister, who had contact with the turtles, had had gastroenteritis and may have served as the vehicle of transmission.