As a salmonella outbreak sweeps across the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is imploring Americans to not ‘kiss and snuggle’ chickens.
The agency says that live poultry carrying the bacteria are responsible for infecting many of the 52 people across 21 states.
In fact, health officials say the majority of infections have been linked to backyard poultry, specifically chickens and ducklings.
So far, five people have been hospitalized, but no deaths have been reported.
The CDC is asking people to not ‘kiss and snuggle’ chickens. amid a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 52 people across 21 states (file image)
This is not the first time the CDC has warned people against kissing or snuggling live fowl.
Last October, the agency implored people to also stop dressing up their pet chickens in Halloween costumes.
The current outbreak began in January with people reporting symptoms of illness through April 29.
States that have been affected include: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.
Ohio leads the pack with nine cases, followed by Missouri with six cases and Pennsylvania with five cases.
Patients’ ages range between ages one and 60, and more than a quarter of those sick are younger than five years old.
After speaking to 33 of the infected people, the CDC said 70 percent of them reported contact with chicks and ducklings.
Because of this, the agency believes the source of the outbreak is likely ‘backyard poultry from multiple hatcheries’.
Although people may keep their coops clean, health officials say it is possible to get sick after coming into contact with harmful bacteria, including salmonella, on the feathers, feet, and beaks of live poultry.
‘Don’t kiss your birds or snuggle them and then touch your face or mouth,’ the CDC warns on its website.
Don’t kiss your birds or snuggle them and then touch your face or mouth
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Salmonella infections occur after eating raw meat and eggs or foods that are contaminated with the bacteria.
Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain that generally last between four and seven days.
According to the CDC, salmonella is the cause for 1.2 million illnesses, 23,000 hospitalizations, and 450 deaths in the US annually.
Most people can recover without treatment, although there are cases where antibiotics or IV fluids are needed.
The CDC has not issued a recall of any chicken products, but it is urging consumers to take safety precautions to avoid infections. This includes washing hands, cutting boards, counters and utensils with hot water and soap after handling raw meat.
Earlier this month, health officials also warned Americans not not to wash raw chicken because it could lead to food poisoning.
On Twitter, the agency said raw chicken juices – which can contain salmonella, Campylobacter bacteria and Clostridium perfringens bacteria – can spread and contaminate other area of the kitchen.