biostudies-literatureHernandez SMFDA HHSNational Institutes of Health674973https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8339271biostudies-literatureUnknown8Reptile-associated human salmonellosis cases have increased recently in the United States. It is not uncommon to find healthy chelonians shedding <i>Salmonella enterica</i>. The rate and frequency of bacterial shedding are not fully understood, and most studies have focused on captive vs. free-living chelonians and often in relation to an outbreak. Their ecology and significance as sentinels are important to understanding <i>Salmonella</i> transmission. In 2012-2013, <i>Salmonella</i> prevalence was determined for free-living aquatic turtles in man-made ponds in Clarke and Oconee Counties, in northern Georgia (USA) and the correlation between species, basking ecology, demographics (age/sex), season, or landcover with prevalence was assessed. The genetic relatedness between turtle and archiFrontiers in veterinary scienceFree-Living Aquatic Turtles as Sentinels of <i>Salmonella</i> spp. for Water Bodies.PMC8339271U18 FD0043181R15AI089565-01U18 FD006157Presotto AJohnson KHise KSanchez SHuang JMurray MHPeters VELipp EKMaurer JJGerner-Smidt PKwan TYabsley MJCurry SHernandez SMfalseFree-Living Aquatic Turtles as Sentinels of <i>Salmonella</i> spp. for Water Bodies.Reptile-associated human salmonellosis cases have increased recently in the United States. It is not uncommon to find healthy chelonians shedding <i>Salmonella enterica</i>. The rate and frequency of bacterial shedding are not fully understood, and most studies have focused on captive vs. free-living chelonians and often in relation to an outbreak. Their ecology and significance as sentinels are important to understanding <i>Salmonella</i> transmission. In 2012-2013, <i>Salmonella</i> prevalence was determined for free-living aquatic turtles in man-made ponds in Clarke and Oconee Counties, in northern Georgia (USA) and the correlation between species, basking ecology, demographics (age/sex), season, or landcover with prevalence was assessed. The genetic relatedness between turtle and archi2021-01-01T00:00:00Z20212025-06-01T03:45:23.534Z2025-06-01T03:45:23.534ZS-EPMC83392713436827110.3389/fvets.2021.674973