Salmonella outbreak linked to live poultry

ATLANTA, July 23 (UPI) -- U.S. health officials said Monday a multistate outbreak of human salmonella infections has been linked to live poultry.

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta said a total of 37 people were infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Hadar in 11 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Thirty-seven percent of people ill were children age 10 or younger.

Eight people were hospitalized, but no deaths were reported.

Epidemiologic, laboratory and traceback findings linked the outbreak of human Salmonella infections to contact with live poultry from Hatchery B in Idaho, CDC officials said.

"Mail-order hatcheries, agricultural feed stores and others that sell or display chicks, ducklings and other live poultry should provide health-related information to owners and potential purchasers of these birds prior to the point of purchase," CDC officials said in a statement. "This should include information about the risk of acquiring a Salmonella infection from contact with live poultry."