Pet frogs that spread salmonella have health officials hopping mad

(CBS) Pet frogs associated with a nationwide outbreak of salmonella poisoning (salmonellosis) are back on sale in the U.S., and the officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are hopping mad.

As of July 18, 241 people from 42 states had been infected with the Salmonella Typhimurium bacteria responsible for the outbreak, the agency said. The infections have been tied to African dwarf frogs and the fish tanks they live in.

A Madera County, California company, Blue Lobster Farms, had stopped shipments of the frogs in April but resumed shipments in early June, the agency said. The frogs are showing up in pet stores, toy stores, fairs and carnivals, and from online retailers.

The company could not be reached for comment, the Associated Press reported.

Kids under age five are especially vulnerable to serious infections. They should avoid contact with water frogs, their water, and their habitats. Others at high risk include pregnant women, people with weak immune systems, organ transplant recipients, and those undergoing chemotherapy.

Thirty percent of people sickened by the bacteria were hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.

Salmonellosis causes fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps within 72 hours of exposure. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.

The CDC has more on Salmonella.