Key Takeaway:
- 34 Salmonella cases across 13 states linked to backyard poultry; many patients are children.
- The strain in the Drug-resistant Salmonella outbreak shows possible antibiotic resistance, raising treatment concerns.
- CDC urges strict hygiene practices when handling backyard birds to prevent infection.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that 34 people across 13 states, including many children, have been infected with a potentially drug-resistant Salmonella strain linked to backyard poultry exposure.
CDC Identifies Multistate Outbreak Linked To Backyard Birds
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says all 34 confirmed cases involve the same Salmonella strain connected to backyard poultry, prompting a nationwide health alert issued last week.
Cases are concentrated mainly in Midwestern states. Michigan reports six infections, while Ohio and Wisconsin each have five. Indiana, Kentucky, and Maine report three cases each, followed by Maryland and West Virginia with two cases apiece. Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and Tennessee each report one case.
Health officials say illnesses occurred between late February and the end of March, though investigators believe additional infections may not yet be reported.
“The investigation is ongoing, and more cases are likely,” the CDC said in its update.
Laboratory testing suggests the strain may resist treatment with the antibiotic fosfomycin. Samples from eight patients also indicate possible resistance to other antibiotics commonly used to treat Salmonella infections, raising concern among public health officials.
Children Among Most Affected As Hospitalizations Rise
Patients range in age from less than one year old to 78, with a median age of 12. About a dozen infected individuals are younger than five years old, a group considered especially vulnerable to severe illness.
Thirteen patients have been hospitalized, according to the CDC. No deaths have been reported.
Investigators interviewed 29 infected individuals, and 23 reported contact with backyard poultry during the week before becoming ill. Fourteen said they owned backyard birds, and all but one reported acquiring new poultry earlier this year.
Officials are working to determine whether the birds share a common supplier or source.
“You don’t have to touch the birds to get sick,” the CDC said, noting that Salmonella bacteria can spread through contaminated surfaces, cages, or equipment in poultry environments. tied to the Drug-resistant Salmonella outbreak.
Health Officials Urge Hygiene And Safety Measures
The CDC warns that any backyard poultry — including chickens and ducks — can carry salmonella bacteria even when animals appear healthy.
Symptoms typically include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, and can begin six hours to six days after exposure. Most people recover within four to seven days without treatment, but young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems may experience severe illness requiring medical care.
Salmonella infections can only be confirmed through laboratory testing of stool samples or other body fluids.
To reduce risk, health officials advise washing hands thoroughly after handling birds, eggs, or items in poultry habitats. Shoes worn in poultry areas should not be brought indoors, and birds and their supplies should remain outside the home.
Children younger than five should not handle backyard poultry or related equipment because they face a higher risk of infection, the CDC said.
Each year in the United States, Drug-resistant Salmonella outbreak an estimated 1.35 million illnesses and about 420 deaths, according to federal health data.
