An outdoor poultry Salmonella outbreak has sickened at least 34 people in 13 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Any backyard poultry can carry pathogens that can make you sick.
The case count by state is: Florida (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (3), Kentucky (3), Maryland (2), Maine (3), Michigan (6), Mississippi (1), New Hampshire (1), Ohio (5), Tennessee (1), Wisconsin (5), and West Virginia (2). The patient age range is from 1 to 78 years, with a median age of 12. Forty-one percent of the patients are under the age of five. Illness onset dates range from February 26, 2026 to March 31, 2026. Of 27 people who gave information to public health officials, 13 have been hospitalized, for a hospitalization rate of 48%, much higher than the typical 20% hospitalization rate for a Salmonella outbreak.
In interviews, 29 people told public health officials about their illnesses and living situations. Twenty-three of those patients reported contact with backyard poultry. People reported buying poultry from various places, including agricultural retail stores. Investigators are still collecting information about the places of purchase and which hatcheries supplied the retail stores.
Whole genome sequencing showed that patient isolates are closely related genetically, which means that the people in this outbreak likely got sick from contact with the same type of animal. Investigators in Ohio collected samples from backyard poultry. Whole genome sequencing showed that the Salmonella Saintpaul found in these samples were the same strain found in sick people.
If you choose to keep backyard poultry, you need to be very careful about how they are handled. Keep them out of your house. Keep the clothes and shoes you wear when caring for them separate from other clothes. Watch children when they are around these birds, and do not let them cuddle or kiss the birds or chicks. Collect eggs regularly, and discard those that are cracked or broken. And always cook eggs to a final internal temperature of 160°F for food safety reasons.
