Travellers have been warned to stay away from sea turtles because they may harbour a series of deadly diseases.
Turtles are now farmed in parts of the world and farms attract hundreds of thousands of visitors.
But researchers say travellers have reported a series of symptoms which include kidney failure and meningitis.
The animals carry bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites and because they are long-lived may accumulate a huge range of organisms, according to a report in JRSM Short Reports.
Clifford Warwick, of the Emergent Disease Foundation, called for awareness among health care professionals of the threat.
Writing in JRSM Short Reports, he says: "People should avoid food derived from sea turtles and perhaps also other relatively long-lived species regardless of their role in the food chain as all these animals potentially have more time in which to accumulate hazardous organisms and toxins and present an increased risk of animal-linked human pathology."
He added: “Significantly, the captive farming of turtles arguably increases the threat to health, in particular from bacteria, due to the practice of housing many turtles in a relatively confined space and under intensive conditions.
"The subsequent distribution of visitors exposed to turtle farm conditions may also involve opportunities for further dissemination of contaminants into established tourist hubs including cruise ship and airline carriers."
Health implications associated with exposure to farmed and wild sea turtles. JRSM Short Reports 5 February 2013
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