Michigan Salmonella Outbreak Tied to Chicks, Ducklings

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Michigan public health officials say an uptick in Salmonella infections, or salmonellosis, has been linked to exposure to live baby chicks or ducklings.

There have been 20 cases of salmonellosis since March 2, six of them requiring hospitalization. Those sickened ranged from younger than 12 months to 70 years, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services said.

“While raising baby chicks and having fresh eggs can be fun and educational, poultry owners should be aware that chickens and other birds can carry germs that can impact human health,” Dr. Eden Wells, the health department’s chief medical executive, said in a statement.

Dr. James Averill, the state veterinarian with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said live baby poultry carrying Salmonella still look healthy.

“This is why it’s so important for people handling baby chicks and poultry to practice good personal biosecurity such as handwashing because the bacteria may be present.”

Officials from local county health departments are visiting the feed and farm stores to collect environmental samples for testing in areas where ill residents purchased baby poultry. These environmental samples were tested at the health department’s Bureau of Laboratories, and a number of samples are positive for Salmonella; some of which match the outbreak strain.

Testing and a traceback investigations are still in process. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been notified.

People become infected with Salmonella when they handle young poultry or their cages and coops. Germs can be found on the hands, shoes, and clothing of those who handle the birds or work or play in areas where the birds live and roam. Young children are especially at risk for illness because their immune systems are still developing.

Here are some important actions you and your family can take to protect yourselves from a Salmonella infection:

• Wash hands vigorously with soap and water immediately after touching poultry or anything in their environment, such as cages, coops, or bedding
• Adults should supervise hand washing for young children after they have held baby poultry or touched anything in the bird’s environment
• Live poultry should be kept in their own place outside the home
• The CDC recommends children under the age of five, older adults, or people whose immune systems are compromised should not handle or touch chicks, ducklings or other live poultry.

If you suspect that you or your child has a Salmonella infection, contact your doctor or healthcare provider immediately.

Image credit: Anne Petersen via Flickr / Creative Commons