Drug Resistant Salmonella Infection Linked to Backyard Poultry

Posted in Food Safety,Our Blog,Salmonella on April 30, 2026

The CDC is warning of a drug resistant Salmonella infection linked to backyard poultry. The latest update includes illness in 13 states infecting 34 people. Many people think that this can only mean chickens, but the term poultry refers to ducks, geese, guinea fowl and turkeys as well.

Illnesses were reported from Feb. 26 to March 31 and include 13 people who were hospitalized, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sick people range in age from 1 to 78, but more than 40% are children younger than 5, the CDC said last week.

Sick people have been reported in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, Wisconsin and West Virginia. But more illnesses in more states could be possible, CDC officials added.

Of sick people interviewed, nearly 80% reported contact with backyard poultry. Of people interviewed who owned backyard poultry, more than 90% had obtained the animals since January. People got the poultry from various places, including agricultural retail stores. Health officials are investigating the sources of the animals.

Bacteria from samples from 34 people showed they might be resistant to at least one drug used to treat salmonella infections. Of those, some also showed they might be resistant to four other common antibiotics. Infections that are unable to be treated with antibiotics can result in serious illness or death.

What should you do?

• Wash your hands
  • Always wash your hands with soap and water immediately after touching backyard poultry, their eggs, or anything in the area where they live and roam.
  • Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available. If you take care of backyard poultry, consider keeping hand sanitizer at the coop.
• Be safe around backyard flocks
  • Don’t kiss or snuggle backyard poultry, and don’t eat or drink around them. They can carry Salmonella germs that can spread to your mouth and make you sick.
  • Keep your backyard flock and the supplies you use to care for them (like feed containers and shoes you wear in the coop) outside of the house. You should also clean the supplies outside the house.
• Supervise kids around flocks
  • Always supervise children around backyard poultry and make sure they wash their hands properly afterward.
  • Children younger than 5 years old shouldn’t handle chicks, ducklings, or other backyard poultry or spend time in areas where these animals live and roam. Young children are more likely to get sick from germs like Salmonella.
• Handle eggs safely
  • Collect eggs often. Eggs that sit in the nest can become dirty or break.
  • Throw away cracked eggs. Germs on the shell can more easily enter the egg through a cracked shell.
  • Eggs with dirt and debris can be cleaned carefully with fine sandpaper, a brush, or a cloth. Don’t wash eggs because cold water can pull germs into the egg.
  • Refrigerate eggs to keep them fresh and slow the growth of germs.

Symptoms:

When to Seek Medical Attention:

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
• Diarrhea for more than 2 days that is not improving
• Bloody diarrhea
• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as:
  • Not peeing much
  • Dry mouth and throat
  • Feeling dizzy when standing up

Be especially careful if you are in stores that are selling live poultry and seek sanitization stations or use your own method of sanitizing after handling any birds or being in the areas where they are kept. Do not handle them yourself and ask for assistance from the store workers.

Fortunately, the latest outbreak of illness hasn’t caused any fatalities, but it is being closely monitored and we will continue to provide updates here as they are available. Follow Make Food Safe for more information.