From the Centers for Disease Control (CDC):
- As of May 7, 2014, a total of 60 persons infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella Infantis or Salmonella Newport have been reported from 23 states.
- 31% of ill persons have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.
- The number of ill persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arizona (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (2), Georgia (2), Idaho (2), Indiana (1), Kentucky (6), Maine (1), Maryland (2), New Hampshire (1), New Mexico (1), New York (6), North Carolina (3), Ohio (6), Pennsylvania (8), Tennessee (3), Utah (1), Vermont (3), Virginia (3), Washington (1), and West Virginia (4).
- Epidemiologic and traceback findings have linked this outbreak of human Salmonella Infantis and Salmonella Newport infections to contact with chicks, ducklings, and other live baby poultry from Mt. Healthy Hatcheries in Ohio.
- 82% of ill people reported contact with live poultry in the week before their illness began.
- Findings of multiple traceback investigations of live baby poultry from homes of ill persons have identified Mt. Healthy Hatcheries in Ohio as the source of chicks and ducklings.
- This is the same mail-order hatchery that has been associated with multiple outbreaks of Salmonella infections linked to live poultry in past years, including in 2012 and 2013.
- Mail-order hatcheries, agricultural feed stores, and others that 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 a Salmonella infection from contact with live poultry.
- Read the advice to mail order hatcheries and feed store and others that sell or display live poultry.
- Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water right after touching live poultry or anything in the area where they live and roam.
- Do not let live poultry inside the house.
- Additional recommendations are available on the CDC website.
- These recommendations are important and apply to all live poultry, regardless of the age of the birds or where they were purchased.
Link to the CDC website with the Salmonella outbreak information: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/live-poultry-05-14/index.html
