Frogs That Spread Salmonella Are Being Sold AgainJuly 22, 2011
A California company whose African dwarf frogs have been linked to at least 241 cases of salmonella illness going back to 2009 has resumed selling the tiny animals after a temporary pause.
The CDC says most of those sickened by the frog-borne bacteria have been children under the age of 5. The federal agency has warned parents that the amphibians, a type of water frog, are widely available from pet stores and online retailers.
The CDC says children under 5 are at "high risk" of serious salmonella infections and should be kept away from the creatures, their water, their habitat, and anything they touch.
The outbreak has been linked to Blue Lobster Farms in Madera County, Calif., which had stopped shipping the creatures in late April after the company's frogs had been linked to salmonella cases. But the company started sending them out again in June, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Casey Barton Behravesh, DVM, DrPH, a veterinary epidemiologist at the CDC, tells WebMD that the agency can't stop the company from selling the frogs because it is not a regulatory authority.
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Posted by Ken at 12:00 AM