I generally deal with things people consume and then get sick, but I do find it perplexing that this outbreak has been going on for years and has been traced to an unnamed California frog breeder.

• As of May 9, 2011, a total of 222 individuals infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Typhimurium have been reported from 41 states since April 1, 2009. These infections are associated with African dwarf frogs-a type of water frog–and water from their habitats (e.g., tanks or aquariums).

• Findings of multiple traceback investigations of African dwarf frogs from homes of ill persons have identified a single African dwarf frog breeder in California as the source of these frogs. This frog breeding facility was first identified as the source of African dwarf frogs associated with human infections in 2010. Environmental samples taken at this breeding facility in January and April 2010 and tested in CDC laboratories yielded isolates of Salmonella Typhimurium matching the outbreak strain.

• CDC is warning parents that children under 5 years old are at high risk for serious Salmonella infections and should avoid contact with water frogs, their water and their habitats (e.g. tanks or aquariums). Others who are at high risk and who should avoid contact with water frogs, their water and their habitats include pregnant women, people who have weak immune systems, such as cancer patients, and those undergoing chemotherapy or organ transplants.