Health officials have issued a warning after backyard poultry flocks were found to be infecting people with an antibiotic-resistant strain of bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 34 individuals have fallen ill, and 13 have been hospitalized due to a strain known as Salmonella Saintpaul, which exhibits resistance to most frontline antibiotics. Fortunately, no fatalities have been recorded in this outbreak to date.
Outbreak Details
Among the 23 patients for whom information was available, all reported having contact with backyard poultry flocks. The affected individuals are spread across 13 states, predominantly in the Midwest, with illnesses occurring between February 26 and March 31. Salmonella infections typically cause diarrhea and stomach cramps within six hours to six days of exposure, with symptoms usually resolving within four to seven days. However, for those at higher risk—including children under five and adults over 50—the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and lead to sepsis, a potentially fatal complication.
Antibiotic Resistance Concerns
Doctors typically treat Salmonella infections with antibiotics, but when the bacteria are resistant, treatment options become severely limited, increasing the risk of serious complications. In this outbreak, 40 percent of patients are under five years old, with ages ranging from one to 78 years. The states reporting infections include Michigan (six cases), Wisconsin and Ohio (five each), Indiana, Kentucky, and Maine (three each), West Virginia and Maryland (two each), and one case each in Florida, Illinois, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and Tennessee.
Analysis of patient samples revealed that all infections were resistant to Fosfomycin, a broad-spectrum antibiotic commonly used to treat Salmonella. Additionally, eight patients had infections resistant to at least one other typical Salmonella antibiotic. Overall, 14 patients owned backyard poultry flocks, while 13 had recently purchased or obtained birds this year. The specific type of bird involved is unclear, but possibilities include chickens, ducks, and geese.
Investigation and Recommendations
Health officials are investigating whether a common poultry supplier is linked to the outbreak. They urge anyone in contact with poultry to wash hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after touching the birds, their eggs, or any area where they live or roam. People should avoid kissing poultry, eating or drinking near them, and ensure children are supervised around birds and wash hands properly afterward. Those who suspect they have been infected should contact their healthcare provider.
Chickens and other poultry often carry Salmonella in their intestines without showing symptoms, spreading the bacteria through feces, contaminated feathers, and eggs. Humans can pick up the bacteria by handling backyard poultry or touching their eggs or living spaces. Health officials emphasize that backyard poultry can carry Salmonella germs even if they appear healthy and clean, and these germs can easily contaminate the environment.
