The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are concerned about outbreaks of Salmonella. Like intestinal parasites we have mentioned before, the Salmonella bacteria infect the digestive system and cause unpleasant symptoms including diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. More and more people are keeping chicks or adult chickens in their backyards or even bringing them into their homes as pets. Chickens are major carriers of Salmonella, and having them on surfaces in the home, especially in the kitchen, means contaminating surfaces close to people and possibly the food they are eating. People usually become infected by eating contaminated food and water.
Hundreds of cases of a few strains of Salmonella (Salmonella Infantis, Salmonella Lille, Salmonella Newport, Salmonella Mbandaka) (Salmonella typhimurium) have been reported in 37 states. The diarrhea can cause severe dehydration, which may be why there have been at least 72 hospitalizations related to these outbreaks. Salmonella, on rare occasions, may also spread beyond the digestive system and become life-threatening.
The CDC is attempting to educate the public about Salmonella and how to protect ourselves from infection. The main protection is good hygiene – wash your hands often to prevent the spread of germs, especially after contact with chickens, ducks, geese or other animals. If you have chickens, keep them out of the house. Just like you would not put raw chicken meat on your tables and counters without disinfecting them afterward, do not allow live poultry to touch surfaces in your home.
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