Chicken Linked to Salmonella Outbreak Across 29 States—Here's What You Need to Know

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating a multistate outbreak of salmonella, which has been linked to backyard poultry, including chicken and ducks.

As of May 16, 109 people have been infected with one of the outbreak strains of salmonella across 29 states. Of the infected individuals, 33 people have been hospitalized. Reports of illness began on dates ranging from February 28 to April 30. However, the true number of sick individuals is likely much higher than the number reported.

Per the CDC, the salmonella outbreak has affected individuals living in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.

State and local public health officials have been interviewing sick individuals to learn more about the animals they came into contact with in the week before they got sick. Of the 70 people interviewed, 73 percent reported contact with backyard poultry. People also reported purchasing poultry from multiple retail stores and directly from a hatchery. A common poultry supplier has not been identified across all outbreaks.

Any backyard poultry can carry salmonella germs , even if they look healthy and clean, the CDC states. These germs can easily spread to anything in the area where the poultry live and roam. To prevent the spread of these germs, wash your hands immediately after touching backyard poultry, their eggs, or anything in the area where they live. If you have backyard poultry, avoid kissing or snuggling your animals and don’t eat or drink around them.

Most people infected with salmonella begin experiencing symptoms anywhere from six hours to six days after consuming the bacteria. Symptoms typically include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.