CDC: Multistate salmonella outbreak linked to backyard flocks of chickens, ducks

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning on Monday that contact with home-raised chicken and ducks has been identified as the primary source of salmonella outbreaks that have made 212 people sick in 44 states.

Officials say the first illnesses were reported in February, with the last case rolling in on June 21. The areas not impacted so far are the Dakotas, Virginia, New Jersey, Delaware and District of Columbia.

Wait. Where are all these chickens coming from?

Multiple hatcheries have been linked to the outbreaks. Of the 138 people surveyed, 72 percent of those stricken told the CDC that they had been in contact with live chicks or ducklings within a week prior to becoming ill.

That's right: Those cute little peeping bundles of down you see at feed supply stores or gifted for Easter could be harboring a strain of salmonella that's often resistant to common antibiotics.

This is the fourth year in a row that the CDC has issued alerts about salmonella infections linked to backyard flocks, as the popularity of homegrown poultry has increased. Most notably, Americans were specifically cautioned by the CDC's notice last year not to kiss their pet chickens, as the practice of smooching adorable hatchlings was partly responsible for 2017's outbreak.

Authorities also advise against allowing barnyard fowl into a human home. Specifically, poultry pets should be prohibited from kitchens and from sleeping in the same bed as their owners.

What now?

Over one-fourth of the cases in this most recent outbreak are children, with those younger than 5 being more susceptible to contracting salmonella not only because of their weaker immune systems —but because they tend to be less sanitary than adults.

Experts advise anyone who has come in contact with poultry or any other livestock to vigorously wash their hands afterward, and further suggest keeping separate clothes and shoes for wearing out in the chicken coop.

When attending a petting zoo or local fair where poultry and livestock are present, the CDC also says to take heed that even the wheels of strollers can pick up nasty germs from animal excrement and such gear might be best left at home.

Stay safe out there.