Federal health officials have reported that over 100 individuals have fallen ill due to salmonella outbreaks linked to backyard poultry.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health authorities are investigating several multistate outbreaks of salmonella strains, including Altona, Indiana, Infantis, Mbandaka, and Typhimurium.
As of May 16, 109 individuals across 29 states have been infected with one of these outbreak strains. However, the CDC has indicated that the actual number of cases “is likely much higher than the number reported.”
Among the 82 people with available information, approximately 40%—or 33 individuals—have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported so far, according to the CDC.
Health officials have determined that backyard poultry is the source of these infections, but a common supplier linked to all the outbreaks has not yet been identified.
Poultry, including chickens and ducks, can harbor salmonella germs, which can “easily spread to anything in the areas where the poultry live and roam,” the CDC stated.
About 67% of those with available information reported that they had bought or received poultry prior to becoming ill. This poultry was purchased from various retail stores and directly from a hatchery.
Healthy individuals infected with salmonella can experience symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, typically lasting from six hours to six days after exposure.
However, children under 5 years old, adults over 65, and individuals with weakened immune systems “may experience more severe illnesses that require medical treatment or hospitalization,” according to the CDC.
