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Safety Report: Wild Songbirds linked to Salmonella Outbreak, USA
3 years ago •source cdc.gov
Outbreak
United States
The CDC announced that they are currently investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections where 19 people have been reported sick from 8 states (CA, KY, MS, NH, OK, OR, TN, WA). Eight people of the total have required hospitalization but no deaths have been reported to date.According to the outbreak notice, there are reports of wild songbirds, such as pine siskins (small, streaked, yellow-tinged songbirds in the finch family) sick with the same strain of Salmonella that is making people sick in this outbreak. Salmonella germs can spread between species of birds, to pets, and to people.
You can get sick when you touch your mouth with unwashed hands after touching wild birds, bird feeders or bird baths, or your pets that have contact with wild birds.
CDC advises to:
- Clean and disinfect your bird feeder and bird bath weekly or when they are visibly dirty.
- Do not touch or hand-feed wild birds with your bare hands.
- Always wash your hands with soap and water
- Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these severe Salmonella symptoms
Most people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps 6 hours to 6 days after being exposed to the bacteria and the illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and many recover without treatment.
Check the CDC website for the full investigation details www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium-04-21/index.html
Source: CDC
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