Allegheny County resident linked to multistate salmonella outbreak

An Allegheny County resident has been linked to a multistate salmonella outbreak, the health department announced on Thursday. 

Most people associated with this outbreak have reported contact with backyard poultry, the health department says. Public health officials are gathering more information about their potential exposures.

How to prevent getting salmonella 

The Allegheny County Health Department says backyard poultry like chickens and ducks can carry salmonella germs even if they look healthy.

If you interact with these birds, the health department says you should wash your hands after touching them, their eggs or the area where they live. Clean the supplies used to maintain the birds, and keep the supplies out of your home. Collect eggs often, clean them and refrigerate them. Don't eat around the poultry.  

Symptoms include diarrhea, a fever higher than 102 degrees, "so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down" and signs of dehydration, the Allegheny County Health Department says. If you interact with backyard poultry and have any of those symptoms, call your doctor. 

Salmonella spreading through backyard poultry, CDC says

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it's investigating a multistate outbreak of salmonella mbandaka infections. Data shows that contact with backyard poultry is making people sick. 

Illness started on dates ranging from Feb. 9 to March 24. At least seven other people have gotten sick, the CDC says. 

"This outbreak strain has been linked to two hatcheries in past outbreaks, including one which is also linked to the poultry shipping material sample in the current outbreak. CDC is working with state partners to notify this hatchery of these links and assess any links to upstream suppliers. Additional hatcheries may be linked to the outbreak as the investigation continues," the CDC says on its website.