The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a report this week that links the recent multi-state outbreak of salmonella to backyard chickens.
So far there have been 212 cases in 44 states. A total of 34 people have been hospitalized but no deaths have been reported.
The CDC says people can get sick with salmonella infections from touching live poultry or their environment. These birds can be carrying salmonella bacteria but appear healthy and clean and show no signs of illness.
Illnesses started from February 15, 2018 to June 21, 2018. Twenty-six percent of those ill are children under five.
Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory findings link these outbreaks to contact with live poultry, such as chicks and ducklings, which come from multiple hatcheries.
In interviews, 100 (72%) of 138 ill people with information available reported contact with chicks or ducklings in the week before their illness started.
People reported obtaining chicks and ducklings from several sources, including feed supply stores, websites, hatcheries, and from relatives.
For more information, read the full report from the CDC.