TL;DR
Get kitchen staples and gadgets delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
The CDC has declared over a Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry that sickened 1,253 people in 46 states and Puerto Rico. Two people died, 256 were hospitalized, and some outbreak strains showed antibiotic resistance. The agency has not named the eight hatcheries investigators identified as having sold infected birds.
The CDC has declared over a Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry after 1,253 people were reported sick in 46 states and Puerto Rico. Two people died, 256 were hospitalized, and one in five patients was younger than 5, according to the agency’s final outbreak update.
The illnesses were caused by seven outbreak strains: Salmonella Altona, Enteritidis, Indiana, Infantis, Kedougou, Mbandaka and Saintpaul. Patients ranged in age from under 1 to 99, with a median age of 36. The CDC says most patients or their caregivers reported buying chicks or ducklings at agricultural retail stores. Others obtained birds from acquaintances, hatcheries or local farms.
Investigators identified eight hatcheries that had sold infected birds, but the CDC did not name them. State investigators collected samples from backyard poultry and from the interiors of boxes used to ship live birds to retail stores. Whole genome sequencing linked Salmonella Enteritidis, Mbandaka, Kedougou and Saintpaul found in those samples to strains detected in sick people.
The CDC sequenced 1,253 human samples. It found resistance to several antibiotics in some isolates: 670 were resistant to fosfomycin, 184 to nalidixic acid and 152 to tetracycline. Smaller numbers showed resistance to other drugs, including ceftriaxone and ampicillin. Another 185 samples were predicted to be nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin. These are laboratory findings; the report does not say that every patient had a resistant infection.
A High Toll From Backyard Birds
The final count makes this the second-largest backyard poultry Salmonella outbreak recorded by the CDC, based on the agency’s historical figures provided in the report. The 2020 outbreak remains the largest, with 1,722 reported illnesses. This year’s total exceeds the 1,230 cases reported in 2022 and the 1,135 in 2021.
The outbreak affected families across a wide area and included many young children. The CDC says that for every confirmed Salmonella patient in an outbreak, an estimated 29 cases go undetected, because some people do not seek medical care or are not tested specifically for Salmonella. That estimate suggests the official count may not capture every illness, though it does not establish a precise total for this outbreak.
Antibiotic resistance adds a public health concern. The reported resistance findings show that some outbreak isolates may be harder to treat with certain medicines. The CDC’s summary does not identify which patients received which treatments or describe their outcomes, so the data should not be read as a measure of treatment failure.
Top picks for "declar salmonella outbreak"
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From April Report to Final Count
The CDC first reported the outbreak on April 13, 2026, when 34 patients in 13 states had been identified. At that point, 13 people had been hospitalized. The earliest illnesses in that report began on February 26. The final update expanded the geographic reach to 46 states and Puerto Rico and raised the case count to 1,253.
The investigation connected human cases to live poultry through interviews and testing. Patients or caregivers often reported acquiring chicks or ducklings for backyard flocks, and investigators found matching strains in poultry or shipping materials in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and Tennessee. Those findings support the link described by the CDC, but the agency’s update does not identify a single source responsible for all infections.
Backyard poultry outbreaks have been recorded in prior years. The figures supplied in the report show 8,575 reported illnesses, 1,803 hospitalizations and 12 deaths across the eight years from 2019 through 2026. Annual counts varied, from 470 reported illnesses in 2024 to 1,722 in 2020.
Hatchery Names and Case Gaps
The eight hatcheries have not been publicly identified in the supplied CDC summary. It also does not specify how many birds each hatchery sold, how the birds became contaminated, or whether the facilities made changes after investigators contacted them. The evidence described connects particular Salmonella strains in samples to those in patients, while leaving the full path of contamination unclear.
The 1,253 cases are confirmed reported illnesses, not a complete count of everyone who may have become sick. The CDC’s estimate of undetected cases describes a general pattern for Salmonella outbreaks; the source does not provide a separately calculated estimate for this event. The update also does not give patient-level details about antibiotic resistance or explain whether resistant infections were associated with more severe outcomes.
Routine Prevention Continues
With the outbreak declared over, the CDC’s update does not announce another outbreak-specific milestone. Its findings leave consumers, retailers and poultry suppliers with a clearer picture of the scale and likely connection to live birds, but the summary does not state whether further public identification of hatcheries or additional investigative findings are planned.
People who keep backyard poultry should continue following standard hygiene precautions. The CDC advises washing hands with soap and water after handling birds, their eggs or equipment; keeping poultry and supplies outside the home; and supervising young children around birds. The outbreak declaration means the agency considers this event over, while routine steps to reduce Salmonella exposure remain relevant.
Key Questions
How many people were reported sick?
The CDC reported 1,253 illnesses across 46 states and Puerto Rico. It says two people died and 256 were hospitalized.
What was linked to the outbreak?
The outbreak was linked to backyard poultry, especially chicks and ducklings. Investigators found matching Salmonella strains in some poultry and shipping-box samples and in sick people.
Did the CDC name the hatcheries?
No. The update says investigators identified eight hatcheries that sold infected birds but does not name them.
Were the bacteria resistant to antibiotics?
Some human isolates showed resistance to multiple antibiotics, and 185 were predicted to be nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin. The report does not say that every patient had a resistant infection.
Does the end of the outbreak mean backyard poultry is risk-free?
No. The CDC’s declaration applies to this outbreak. Its update advises continued handwashing and keeping birds and poultry supplies outside the home.
Source: rss
NFL season / tailgating Picks
team gear
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
