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The CDC has declared over a Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry flocks, after 1,253 people across 46 states and Puerto Rico were reported sick. The outbreak involved seven Salmonella strains; 256 patients were hospitalized and two deaths were reported. The CDC identified eight hatcheries that sold infected birds but has not named them.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has declared over a Salmonella outbreak traced to backyard poultry flocks, after 1,253 people in 46 states and Puerto Rico were reported infected. The outbreak involved seven Salmonella strains and resulted in 256 hospitalizations and two deaths, according to the agency.
The reported infections involved Salmonella Altona, Enteritidis, Indiana, Infantis, Kedougou, Mbandaka and Saintpaul. Patients ranged in age from under 1 to 99, with a median age of 36. About one in five patients was younger than 5, and roughly one-third of those reported sick were hospitalized.
Many patients or their caregivers said they had bought chicks or ducklings for backyard flocks at agricultural retail stores. Others said they obtained birds from acquaintances, hatcheries or local farms. The CDC identified eight hatcheries that sold infected birds, but has not publicly named them.
Investigators in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and Tennessee sampled backyard poultry or the interiors of shipping boxes used to transport live birds from hatcheries to retail stores. Whole-genome sequencing found that Salmonella Enteritidis, Mbandaka, Kedougou and Saintpaul in some samples matched strains detected in sick people, according to the CDC.
Hospitalizations and Resistance Findings
The final count shows the scale of an outbreak connected to birds kept in homes and backyards: more than 1,200 reported illnesses, including hundreds requiring hospital care. The infections affected people across much of the country, and young children made up a notable share of the patients. The two reported deaths underscore that Salmonella illness can have severe outcomes, although the source material does not provide further details about those cases.
The investigation also identified antibiotic resistance among some patient isolates. The CDC sequenced all 1,253 human isolates; 670 were resistant to fosfomycin, 184 to nalidixic acid, 152 to tetracycline, 53 to streptomycin, 40 to gentamicin and 24 to sulfisoxazole. Smaller numbers were resistant to ampicillin, ceftriaxone, ceftiofur, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefoxitin. Another 185 isolates were predicted to be nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin. These findings describe laboratory results and do not mean every patient’s infection resisted treatment.
For consumers, the outbreak’s end does not change the basic exposure concern: live poultry can carry Salmonella even when birds appear healthy. The reported link to backyard flocks makes careful handwashing and handling of birds, equipment and their living areas relevant beyond this particular outbreak.
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From April Report to Final Count
The CDC first reported the outbreak on April 13, 2026, when 34 cases had been identified in 13 states. At that point, 13 people had been hospitalized. The initial report said illnesses began on Feb. 26. The investigation later expanded to cover seven strains and cases reported from 46 states and Puerto Rico.
The final total makes this the second-largest backyard-poultry Salmonella outbreak recorded in the figures provided. The largest was in 2020, with 1,722 reported illnesses. The CDC’s annual totals listed for 2019 through 2026 add up to 8,575 reported illnesses, 1,803 hospitalizations and 12 deaths over those eight years. These are reported cases, not an estimate of every infection.
The CDC says outbreak counts typically miss some cases because people may not seek medical care or may not be tested specifically for Salmonella. The agency estimates that for every confirmed Salmonella outbreak patient, 29 additional infections may go undetected. That estimate explains why the official count should not be read as a complete measure of the outbreak’s reach.
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Hatchery Names and Case Gaps
The CDC has not named the eight hatcheries identified by investigators, and the source report does not explain why their names were not released. It is also unclear how many birds were sold or distributed, how many people may have become ill without being counted, or whether the outbreak investigation produced further findings about the routes by which the birds became contaminated.
The CDC’s declaration that the outbreak is over marks the end of the reported outbreak response, but it does not establish that every bird or environment associated with the investigation was free of Salmonella. The available information also does not identify which resistance findings corresponded to individual patients’ treatment or outcomes. The agency’s counts and laboratory results are confirmed as reported figures; estimates of undetected infections remain estimates.
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Routine Safeguards for Flock Owners
The outbreak has been declared over, and the source material does not describe a further investigation milestone or a planned public update. Backyard flock owners should continue following CDC guidance for handling poultry: wash hands with soap and water after touching birds, their eggs or anything in their surroundings; keep poultry and their equipment out of the home; and supervise children around the flock. Young children should not handle chicks or ducklings, given the share of reported patients under 5.
People who develop symptoms after contact with poultry should seek medical advice, particularly if they are very young, older or otherwise at higher risk of severe illness. The CDC’s final tally and resistance results provide the current reported picture, while the identities of the eight hatcheries and the number of infections that went undetected remain unresolved in the supplied reporting.
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Key Questions
How many people were reported sick in the outbreak?
The CDC reported 1,253 infections across 46 states and Puerto Rico. The agency cautions that reported counts do not capture every infection; it estimates 29 additional illnesses may go undetected for each confirmed Salmonella outbreak patient.
How many people were hospitalized or died?
There were 256 reported hospitalizations and two deaths. The CDC’s figures also show that about one in five reported patients was younger than 5.
Which hatcheries were linked to infected birds?
Investigators identified eight hatcheries that sold infected birds, but the CDC had not named them in the information cited in the report.
Does the outbreak declaration mean backyard poultry is Salmonella-free?
No. Declaring this outbreak over does not mean that all poultry or flock environments are free of Salmonella. The CDC’s findings concern this reported outbreak, and safe handling practices remain relevant when keeping live poultry.
What did investigators find about antibiotic resistance?
Some patient isolates showed resistance to several antibiotics, while another 185 were predicted to be nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin. These are laboratory findings across the sequenced isolates; they do not establish that every infection was resistant or describe every patient’s treatment.
Source: rss
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