Tortoise blamed for food poisoning

Valerie · 23-02-2009, 08:33 AM

Just over a week ago my husband suffered a bout of food poisoning. He was violently sick and with the runs for about 5 days. It started just after we had visited Subway (something we have never done before and won't ever do again) because they had a special offer on. I rang environmental health and told them about it and my husband went to the doctors who confirmed it was food poisoning. I filled in a 6 page long questionnaire for environmental health detailing where he works, what and where he ate, whether he had been near anyone elderly or any children etc etc. There was a bit about animals and because I ticked that we have a tortoise they are now saying it must have been because of that and they won't look into the possibility that it could be anything else.

My husband never touches the tortoise as he's leaving it all to me as my pet and isn't really interested. I wash my hands thoroughly whenever I handle the tortoise. If the tortoise caused it how come I havn't had it.

Anyone got any light to shed on this or had any similar experiences?

Pretty Penguin · 23-02-2009, 08:48 AM

Valerie, if you Google 'Subway food poisoning', then there is quite a lot which may be of interest to you.

Anna

Pussygalore · 23-02-2009, 08:59 AM

torts do carry salmonella but as far as I know theres only ever been a very few cases of it being transmitted to people, there was a case in the usa of a young girl who did get it, so I suppose for the health people it has to be counted a possibility.

**Alan1** · 23-02-2009, 09:07 AM

I think it's just an easy way out for them to blame the tort. They should really be able to tell what kind of food poisioning it is, whether salmonella or E-coli or listeria or whatever though. You can get food poisoning from salad stuff like lettuce and the stuff in there doesn't look fresh and crisp like it does on their pics on the wall

**Bindi** · 23-02-2009, 12:09 PM

I think that's disgusting, cost cutting to the extreme. How could hubby have caught it from your tort if he never touches it...ridiculous. I've heard loads of stories about Subway, nothing concrete but I wouldn't eat there.
Sorry to hear he was poorly by the way

linda · 23-02-2009, 12:17 PM

did the doctor take and samples for testing

to identify the type of food poisoning

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/f/food...g/subtypes.htm

shootinglou79 · 23-02-2009, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pussygalore

torts do carry salmonella but as far as I know theres only ever been a very few cases of it being transmitted to people, there was a case in the usa of a young girl who did get it, so I suppose for the health people it has to be counted a possibility.

Yes i remember reading on this Anne but i think it was through a turtle which carry far more salmonella, also if i remember rightly the mother/parent admitted not to washing their hands before handing the baby

Valerie · 23-02-2009, 03:22 PM

Yes they did take samples (yuk) and confirmed it was salmonella. I think it's just an easy cop out for the environmental health to blame it on the tortoise so that they don't have to do anything else or investigate Subway. I already googled 'Subway food poisoning' when it was happening and found loads of people complaining.

Paulg1 · 23-02-2009, 05:24 PM

it's plain ignorance thats all. On their part I should say. dont want anyone getting mad at me. old habits die hard.

sahara · 23-02-2009, 05:30 PM

Don't take this as gospel, but I heard, although torts do carry salmonella it is very difficult to contract it from this source, it is far easier apparently to get it from touching a raw chicken or easier still eating dodgy food.

23-02-2009, 08:33 AM	#1
Valerie Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 461	Tortoise blamed for food poisoning Just over a week ago my husband suffered a bout of food poisoning. He was violently sick and with the runs for about 5 days. It started just after we had visited Subway (something we have never done before and won't ever do again) because they had a special offer on. I rang environmental health and told them about it and my husband went to the doctors who confirmed it was food poisoning. I filled in a 6 page long questionnaire for environmental health detailing where he works, what and where he ate, whether he had been near anyone elderly or any children etc etc. There was a bit about animals and because I ticked that we have a tortoise they are now saying it must have been because of that and they won't look into the possibility that it could be anything else. My husband never touches the tortoise as he's leaving it all to me as my pet and isn't really interested. I wash my hands thoroughly whenever I handle the tortoise. If the tortoise caused it how come I havn't had it. Anyone got any light to shed on this or had any similar experiences? __________________ 1 Testudo Hermanni Hermanni 1 Dog Yorkshire Terrier x Patterdale Terrier 6 Dwarf lop ear rabbits 5 fish

23-02-2009, 08:48 AM	#2
Pretty Penguin Member Incubating Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: The Secret Garden Posts: 165	Valerie, if you Google 'Subway food poisoning', then there is quite a lot which may be of interest to you. Anna __________________

23-02-2009, 12:09 PM	#5
Bindi Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,157	I think that's disgusting, cost cutting to the extreme. How could hubby have caught it from your tort if he never touches it...ridiculous. I've heard loads of stories about Subway, nothing concrete but I wouldn't eat there. Sorry to hear he was poorly by the way __________________

23-02-2009, 12:17 PM	#6
linda Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: west midlands Posts: 17,134	did the doctor take and samples for testing to identify the type of food poisoning http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/f/food...g/subtypes.htm Last edited by linda; 23-02-2009 at 12:19 PM.

23-02-2009, 03:22 PM	#8
Valerie Member Hatched Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 461	Yes they did take samples (yuk) and confirmed it was salmonella. I think it's just an easy cop out for the environmental health to blame it on the tortoise so that they don't have to do anything else or investigate Subway. I already googled 'Subway food poisoning' when it was happening and found loads of people complaining. __________________ 1 Testudo Hermanni Hermanni 1 Dog Yorkshire Terrier x Patterdale Terrier 6 Dwarf lop ear rabbits 5 fish

23-02-2009, 08:59 AM	#3
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	torts do carry salmonella but as far as I know theres only ever been a very few cases of it being transmitted to people, there was a case in the usa of a young girl who did get it, so I suppose for the health people it has to be counted a possibility.

23-02-2009, 09:07 AM	#4
Alan1 Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sunny Scotland Posts: 21,512	I think it's just an easy way out for them to blame the tort. They should really be able to tell what kind of food poisioning it is, whether salmonella or E-coli or listeria or whatever though. You can get food poisoning from salad stuff like lettuce and the stuff in there doesn't look fresh and crisp like it does on their pics on the wall

23-02-2009, 05:24 PM	#9
Paulg1 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 2,116	it's plain ignorance thats all. On their part I should say. dont want anyone getting mad at me. old habits die hard. __________________ 0.1.0 G. sulcata/Larry 0.1.0 G. pardalis babcocki/Leo 1.0.0 G. pardalis pardalis/Tino "Stop the world, I want to get off!"

23-02-2009, 05:30 PM	#10
sahara Member Hatched Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Posts: 464	Don't take this as gospel, but I heard, although torts do carry salmonella it is very difficult to contract it from this source, it is far easier apparently to get it from touching a raw chicken or easier still eating dodgy food. __________________ xx Sarah xx

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)