Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 59 (2), 132-134, 2006
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Short Communication
A Severe Salmonella enterica Serotype Paratyphi B Infection in a Child Related to a Pet Turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans
Noriyuki Nagano1,3*, Shinji Oana2, Yukiko Nagano3 and Yoshichika Arakawa3
1Medical Microbiology Laboratory and 2Department of Pediatrics, Funabashi Medical Center, Chiba 273-8588, and 3Department of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Infection Control, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan
(Received January 12, 2006. Accepted February 20, 2006)
*Corresponding author: Mailing address: Medical Microbiology Laboratory, Funabashi Medical Center, 1-21-1 Kanasugi, Funabashi, Chiba 273-8588, Japan. Tel: +81-47-438-3321 ext. 5203, Fax: +81-47-438-7323, E-mail: naganoyn@d3.dion.ne.jp
SUMMARY: Our report highlights a case of severe childhood salmonellosis related to a pet turtle, a red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). A 6-year-old girl had gastroenteritis complicated with sepsis caused by serotype Paratyphi B, which shared the same pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profiles with the organism isolated from a pet turtle. Based on our literature survey on childhood invasive salmonellosis acquired from reptiles, this case is the first documented reptile-associated salmonellosis including sepsis caused by this serotype.