Shocking news! Salmonella outbreak! Kids hospitalized in U.S. after kissing frogs!

The outbreak has spread like the plague across the U.S. since the release of Disney's film, "

," according to news reports and bloggers from Britain to Japan.

Problem is the story, which was fabricated from a whimsical quote in and

in December, is not true.

But the basic facts in that Oregonian story -- 50 sickened, including many young girls, by salmonella traced to frogs -- were just too good not to spin into a Internet sensation based on a quote by William Keene, senior epidemiologist with the state

.

Keene said, cracking a verbal smile, that it's not a good idea to kiss frogs, which carry salmonella.

But there is no evidence that girls are smooching the amphibians after seeing the movie.

"This is a totally mythical story," Keene said. "But it's funny so it's being picked up."

From the sensationalist

in Britain, which appears to have spun out the first story, the warning has fired up news sites, chat rooms and bloggers from Europe to Asia.

A site selling watches with poor English picked it up: "Rolex and USA 50 infected children to imitate the film Kiss the frog."

So did a poorly translated Web site promoting "Cheap Viagra": "USA 50 Viagra infected children in imitation of the film to kiss the frog."

Here are some others:

news: "The Princess and the Frog fans fall ill after copying film."

: "Disney fans get ill after copying Princess and Frog movie."

: "The Princess and the Frog Discussion -- Part III"

Just in case you have ignored popular culture since, um, you were born, the story revolves around a princess who kisses a frog and finds her prince.

She does not get infected. But don't kiss the frog -- OK?