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The CDC has declared over a Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry that sickened 1,253 people in 46 states and Puerto Rico. There were 256 reported hospitalizations and two deaths; the agency identified eight hatcheries that sold infected birds but has not named them.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared over a Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry that caused 1,253 reported infections in 46 states and Puerto Rico. The outbreak involved seven Salmonella strains; 256 people were hospitalized and two deaths were reported, according to the source report.
The reported infections involved Salmonella Altona, Enteritidis, Indiana, Infantis, Kedougou, Mbandaka and Saintpaul. Patients ranged in age from under 1 year to 99, with a median age of 36. One in five was younger than 5. The CDC’s declaration that the outbreak is over marks the end of the reported outbreak investigation; it does not mean Salmonella has been eliminated from poultry or that every infection was counted.
Most patients or their caregivers said the chicks or ducklings were bought at agricultural retail stores. Others obtained birds from acquaintances, hatcheries or local farms. The CDC identified eight hatcheries as having sold infected birds, but has not publicly named them. Investigators in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and Tennessee sampled backyard poultry and shipping boxes. Whole genome sequencing linked Salmonella Enteritidis, Mbandaka, Kedougou and Saintpaul found in those samples to strains detected in patients.
The investigation also documented antibiotic resistance among some patient samples. Of 1,253 human isolates sequenced by the CDC, 670 were resistant to fosfomycin, 184 to nalidixic acid and 152 to tetracycline. Smaller numbers were resistant to several other antibiotics. The agency also predicted that 185 isolates were nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin. These findings describe laboratory results from the outbreak isolates; they do not establish that every patient had an antibiotic-resistant infection.
A Large Outbreak With Resistant Strains
The reported total makes this the second-largest backyard poultry Salmonella outbreak recorded by the CDC, according to the Food Safety News report. The toll included two deaths and 256 hospitalizations, while young children made up a substantial share of patients. Salmonella can cause serious illness, and the reported resistance findings matter because they may affect treatment choices for infections that require antibiotics. The source does not say how many patients received antibiotics or whether resistance changed their care.
The official count is also an incomplete measure of the outbreak’s reach. The CDC estimates that for every confirmed Salmonella patient in an outbreak, 29 infections go undetected. Some people do not seek medical care, and others are not tested specifically for Salmonella. That estimate provides context for undercounting; it should not be treated as a measured total for this particular outbreak.
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From 34 Cases to 1,253
The CDC first reported the outbreak on April 13, 2026, when 34 patients in 13 states had been identified. At that point, 13 had been hospitalized, and the earliest reported illnesses dated to February 26. The investigation later connected additional cases across the country and identified seven outbreak strains.
The reported count is higher than those in most recent annual backyard poultry outbreaks listed in the source. For comparison, the CDC recorded 470 cases in 2024 and 559 in 2025. The largest listed outbreak was in 2020, with 1,722 cases. Those are reported patient counts across separate years, not a measure of year-to-year risk; the report does not provide a comparison baseline adjusted for flock ownership, testing or reporting.
The CDC’s laboratory work tied four strains recovered from poultry or shipping materials to patient strains. That evidence supports the link to backyard poultry, while the source does not provide a named list of retailers or hatcheries for consumers to check.
Hatchery Names and Case Totals
The CDC has not named the eight hatcheries identified as having sold infected birds. The source material also does not explain why the names have not been released, whether any hatcheries changed their practices, or what specific steps were taken at retail stores. It reports that patients obtained birds through several routes, so the identified hatcheries do not account publicly for every purchase reported by patients.
The final count may understate infections because not everyone seeks care or receives testing. The report does not give a final date for the last onset of illness, the number of illnesses still under investigation, or a breakdown of cases by Salmonella strain. Although resistant isolates were found, the source does not report patient-level treatment outcomes or say whether resistance contributed to either death.
Routine Poultry Safety Continues
The outbreak investigation is declared over, and the source report describes no further scheduled CDC milestone. Consumers who keep backyard poultry should continue following CDC advice for handling birds and their equipment: wash hands after contact, keep poultry out of the home, and supervise young children around birds. The reported outbreak ending does not remove the risk of Salmonella exposure from future or unlinked flocks.
Further public detail could clarify the hatcheries involved, any corrective steps, and whether additional cases were assessed. The source material does not say that such information will be released or provide a timeline. For now, the confirmed account is the CDC’s declared end to the outbreak, the reported patient and laboratory totals, and evidence connecting several outbreak strains to poultry and shipping materials.
Key Questions
How many people were reported sick?
The outbreak count was 1,253 people in 46 states and Puerto Rico. The CDC cautions that confirmed counts in Salmonella outbreaks can miss infections; the source says it estimates 29 undetected infections for every confirmed patient.
How many people were hospitalized or died?
The source report lists 256 hospitalizations and two deaths. It does not provide further details about the people who died or say whether antibiotic resistance affected their treatment.
Which hatcheries were linked to infected birds?
The CDC identified eight hatcheries that sold infected birds, but the source report says the agency has not named them. Patients also reported buying birds through other channels, including retail stores, local farms and people they knew.
Does the outbreak declaration mean backyard poultry is safe from Salmonella?
No. It means the CDC declared this particular outbreak over. The report does not say Salmonella has been eliminated from poultry; people should continue practicing careful handwashing and hygiene around birds.
Source: rss
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