UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this spring reports that there are eight ongoing outbreaks of Salmonella in 47 states linked to backyard poultry in the United States. As of May 13, 71 people had been hospitalized — 36 percent of those infected are children under the age of 5. Fortunately, no deaths have been reported.
“More and more people are raising backyard chickens, and they need to understand proper techniques for handling birds and equipment,” said Phillip Clauer, senior instructor and extension specialist, College of Agricultural Sciences, Penn State.
Clauer noted that because young poultry are cute, soft and enjoyable to handle, people often forget that they could be infected with Salmonella bacteria. Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, he said, are especially at risk.
Eva Wallner-Pendleton, poultry veterinarian at the Animal Diagnostic Lab at Penn State, added that toddlers are particularly vulnerable because they explore the world with their mouths.
“People often have the mistaken idea that backyard birds and their eggs are free from Salmonella, but a recent study at Penn State showed a small percentage of positive eggs exist even in this sector,” said Wallner-Pendleton. “In fact, any poultry can be carriers of Salmonella, and they usually have no outward symptoms of disease.”
Eggs, too, can make people sick, she said. “Certain Salmonella, such as Salmonella enteritidis, can be shed directly into eggs, and unless eggs are thoroughly cooked, they can potentially make people sick.”