Better cross out pet turtles on your gift list for your kids because according to research, these tiny critters help spread Salmonella all throughout America.

PerfScience reported that a recently conducted study suggests that tiny turtles, which are usually kept in school and homes are harmful for people who are allergic to cats and dogs. But that's not the worst thing, they actually may be responsible for a salmonella outbreak.

A new report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC revealed that researchers have found eight salmonella outbreaks between 2011 and 2013. These reported outbreaks in total, sickened around 473 people all throughout the country.

In a related note from Counsel Heal, these outbreaks came from 41 states, including Washington D.C and Puerto Rico, and 28 percent of the people who got sick had to be hospitalized.

According to the study lead researcher Maroya Walters, an epidemiologist with the CDC said, "Salmonella from small turtles is a significant public health issue. These outbreaks were in 41 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, so this is a big, widespread issue".

The increase in the number of cases over the past decade suggested that people have lack of awareness with the lack of risks involved with handling reptiles and amphibians. Way back in the 70s, turtles were lined to about 280,000 infections per year, mostly in young children.

Walters added that small turtles are now banned, but they are still available for education, display or research purposes and even kept as pets. Tiny turtles are even sold illegally as poets in many states.

The CDC stressed that it is important to remind people that they must wash their hands with antibacterial soap after they touch any kind of reptiles and amphibians, in addition to children under five years old should not even have any pet turtles at all since they have weakened immune system.

Walters added that, "All turtles -- healthy and sick, big and small -- can carry Salmonella," while reiterating that, "Because young children have less developed immune systems and are more likely to engage in hand-to-mouth behaviors, turtles of any size are not appropriate pets for households, schools or day-cares with children younger than 5 years of age."

University Herald also noted that Dr. Elizabeth Barnett, a pediatrics researcher at Boston University School of Medicine, who is not involved in the study also commented regarding tiny pet turtles.

She said, "Families should avoid having direct contact with the animals, should not let the turtle roam freely, should avoid placing animals in sinks, bathtubs or other areas where family members may have contact with them, and should dispose of droppings carefully."