CDC Warns Against Kissing Chicks Due To Salmonella Outbreak In 28 States

While springtime may symbolize the birth of a new life, it is also the time when Salmonella bacteria thrive in the bodies of pet poultry, such as ducklings and chicks.

CNN reported that backyard fowl has become the center of a salmonella outbreak, which has been detected recently. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that it has already infected 97 people, spread across 28 states, with a third of those are children below five years old.

No Snuggling Or Kissing

The CDC, in one of its guidelines on how to prevent future infection, warned against snuggling or kissing backyard poultry. While planting a peck on the beak of the baby chick may look sweet, it may turn lethal.

The health body said that even chicks and ducks that appear healthy could play host to the Salmonella bacteria. The microorganism can live in poultry animals’ environments too.

Not The First Time

Reports say that this is the second time in a year that the health body has pleaded with the American public to put a stop to the snuggling and kissing of poultry animals. During the salmonella outbreak in September 2019, CDC also issued similar advice. At the time, over 1,000 people were said to have been infected by the bacteria across 49 states.

Salmonella bacteria are typically transmitted through contaminated water, food, or direct contact with an infected animal. While most people who have been infected with the bacteria can breeze through symptoms such as fever and diarrhea in a week, there are instances when the diagnosis may need hospital admission.

Different Footwear

As of posting, 17 people have been admitted to hospitals in connection with the current salmonella outbreak, which reportedly started in March. The CDC said from that time on; the bacteria have spread out across the entire United States. Kentucky and California have the highest number of infections at nine persons each. Cases, however, have been detected as far as the states of Massachusetts, Florida, and Montana.

Aside from its kissing ban, the CDC also recommends that chick owners keep a separate pair of footwear whenever they are inside the habitat of the poultry animals. The agency also advised such shoes should only be worn outside and not be brought inside the house. They also recommended keeping the poultry birds out of the homes, particularly in kitchens or living rooms where they might easily come in contact with food.