Salmonella outbreak traced to backyard chicken farms

Two outbreaks ofSalmonellathat have sickened 92 people in 20 states have been traced back to a mail-order hatchery in Ohio. The illness has been linked to chicks and ducklings bought for backyard farms, reports

USA Today.

The outbreak is ongoing and began in late February, says Casey Barton Behravesh, a veterinary epidemiologist with the CDC. The most recent person involved got sick on July 30. About 30 percent of those infected are children under 5 years old.

The hatchery in question, Mount Healthy Hatcheries of Mount Healthy, Ohio, has hired a Salmonella expert, and testing has found no illness in its breeder flocks, owner Robert O'Hara says. He says the problem might be at one of his suppliers but he has not been able to conclusively trace it back.

Doctors for the CDC have warned that poultry hobbyists may not realize how common it is for poultry to carry Salmonella.

Source: USA Today

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

The Meat Industry Hall of Fame was created in 2009 to enshrine the leaders and legends whose visions, skills, and dedication have shaped and sustained the meat and poultry industries.

This new annual reception will celebrate the Meat Industry Hall of Fame Class of 2023 inductees in person during the AAMP American Convention of Meat Processors & Suppliers’ Exhibition in Omaha, Nebraska.