(Investigation Announcement) Multistate Outbreaks of Human Salmonella Infections Linked to Live Poultry
Posted April 25, 2013 5:30 PM ET
April 25, 2013
CDC is collaborating with public health and agriculture officials in many states and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, National Poultry Improvement Plan (USDA-NPIP), and Veterinary Services to investigate three multistate outbreaks of human Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Mbandaka, and Salmonella Typhimurium infections linked to contact with chicks, ducklings, and other live poultry.
Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify cases of illness that may be part of these outbreaks. In PulseNet, the national subtyping network of public health and food regulatory agency laboratories coordinated by CDC, DNA "fingerprints" of Salmonella bacteria are obtained through diagnostic testing with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, or PFGE, to identify cases of illness that may be part of this outbreak. The USDA-NPIP is a program that is intended to eliminate certain strains of Salmonella that cause illness in poultry breeding flocks and hatcheries, but does not certify that these live poultry are free from other strains of Salmonella that may cause human illness.
In interviews, ill people reported purchasing live baby poultry (chicks, ducklings) from multiple feed stores and mail-order hatcheries. Investigations are ongoing to determine the source of the live poultry in these outbreaks.
Contact with live poultry, including baby or adult birds, can be a source of human Salmonella infections. These birds typically appear healthy and clean, but can be shedding germs that can make people sick. Always wash hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam. Adults should supervise hand washing for young children. Additional recommendations are available. These recommendations are important and apply to all live poultry regardless of the age of the birds or where they were purchased.
Mail-order hatcheries, agricultural feed stores, and others who sell or display chicks, ducklings and other live poultry should provide health-related information to owners and potential purchasers of these birds prior to the point of purchase.This should include information about the risk of acquiring Salmonella infection from contact with live poultry.
This investigation is ongoing and CDC will update the public when additional information is available.
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