CDC reminds people not to ‘kiss or snuggle backyard poultry’ due to salmonella risk
Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned people to wash their hands after touching backyard poultry as they investigate a multistate salmonella outbreak.
In a notice published Thursday, officials said they were investigating 163 salmonella cases in 43 states which appeared to be linked to backyard poultry. The illnesses have led to 34 hospitalizations, according to the CDC.
Officials warned that people “can get sick from touching … backyard poultry or anything in their environment” and then touching their mouths or food.
“Backyard poultry, like chicken and ducks, can carry salmonella germs even if they look healthy and clean,” according to the CDC. “These germs can easily spread to anything in the areas where they live and roam.”
Officials recommended that people who have backyard poultry always wash their hands with soap and water immediately after touching the birds, their eggs or anything in the area where they live. They said children should always be supervised around backyard poultry to ensure they’re washing their hands appropriately. Children under 5 years of age should not touch backyard poultry, as young children are more likely to get sick from salmonella, according to the CDC.
Further, officials said eggs should be collected often and cracked eggs should be tossed as a precaution. Dirt on the eggs should be rubbed off with either fine sandpaper, a brush, or a cloth and not washed, as washing the eggs “can pull germs into the egg.”
“Don’t kiss or snuggle backyard poultry, and don’t eat or drink around them,” CDC officials added.
Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment after four to seven days, officials said.
