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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. The agency reported 256 hospitalizations and two deaths; eight hatcheries were identified as having sold infected birds but were not named.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared over a 2026 Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry, after 1,253 people were reported sick across 46 states and Puerto Rico. The outbreak was associated with seven Salmonella strains; 256 patients were hospitalized and two deaths were reported.
Patients were infected with outbreak strains of Salmonella Altona, Enteritidis, Indiana, Infantis, Kedougou, Mbandaka and Saintpaul. Their ages ranged from under 1 year to 99 years, with a median age of 36. One in five patients was younger than 5. The CDC’s total counts confirmed reported illnesses; the agency says the true number was likely higher because some people do not seek care or are not tested for Salmonella.
Most patients or their caregivers said the chicks or ducklings for their flocks came from agricultural retail stores. Others reported getting birds from acquaintances, hatcheries or local farms. The CDC said investigators identified eight hatcheries that had sold infected birds, but did not identify them publicly in the source report.
Investigators in Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon and Tennessee sampled backyard poultry and the insides of boxes used to ship live birds to stores. Whole genome sequencing found that Salmonella Enteritidis, Mbandaka, Kedougou and Saintpaul in those samples matched strains found in patients. The report also said some patient isolates showed antibiotic resistance or predicted reduced susceptibility to certain medicines.
Illnesses Spanned 46 States
The scale of the outbreak shows the public health reach of infections associated with backyard poultry. A third of reported patients were hospitalized, and two people died. Children younger than 5 accounted for one in five cases, making the findings relevant to households where young children may come into contact with birds or their environment.
The CDC’s source report notes that Salmonella cases are often missed: some people do not seek medical care, and others are not tested. It estimates that 29 infections go undetected for every confirmed case in a Salmonella outbreak. That estimate is broader than this specific outbreak, but it signals that the reported 1,253 cases may not represent everyone who became ill.
Resistance findings add a further public health concern. The CDC sequenced 1,253 human isolates and reported resistance to several antibiotics among some samples, as well as 185 predicted nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin. The report does not say that every patient had a resistant infection or explain whether resistance changed treatment outcomes.
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From April Report to Closure
The CDC first reported the outbreak on April 13, 2026, when 34 patients in 13 states had been identified; 13 had been hospitalized. At that point, illnesses were reported to have begun on Feb. 26. The final count grew to 1,253 people in 46 states and Puerto Rico.
The CDC’s historical figures place this as the second-largest backyard poultry-linked Salmonella outbreak it has recorded. The largest was in 2020, with 1,722 reported illnesses. The 2026 total exceeded counts reported for 2019 and each year from 2021 through 2025, according to the figures in the source report. Those annual counts are reported cases, not estimates of all infections.
Laboratory matching helped link samples from birds and shipping materials with human infections. The source report identifies four strains found in both types of samples; it does not say that all seven strains were recovered from the poultry samples described.
“The agency declared the outbreak over.”
— Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hatcheries and Case Totals
The source report does not name the eight hatcheries identified as having sold infected birds, or say what action was taken with each. It also does not provide a final date for the last illness or explain which evidence led the CDC to declare the outbreak over.
The confirmed count is not a complete measure of infections. Some people may not have sought medical care or received a Salmonella test, and the CDC’s estimate of undetected cases is not a count specific to this outbreak. The report also does not detail the treatment or outcomes of patients whose isolates showed resistance or predicted nonsusceptibility.
Routine Precautions for Flock Owners
The outbreak has been declared over, and the source report does not announce another investigation milestone. People who keep backyard poultry can continue to reduce exposure by washing their hands after handling birds or anything in their environment, keeping poultry and their equipment out of homes, and supervising young children around flocks. The CDC’s outbreak findings do not identify a single store or hatchery as the source for all reported illnesses.
Anyone who develops severe or persistent symptoms after contact with poultry should seek medical advice and mention that exposure. Health officials may continue routine surveillance for Salmonella, but the report does not state whether further updates are planned.
Key Questions
How many people were affected by the outbreak?
The CDC reported 1,253 illnesses across 46 states and Puerto Rico, with 256 hospitalizations and two deaths. The agency says the actual number may have been higher because not all infections are diagnosed or reported.
What was the source of the Salmonella outbreak?
The outbreak was linked to backyard poultry, including chicks and ducklings. Most patients or caregivers said the birds came from agricultural retail stores; others reported sources including acquaintances, hatcheries and local farms.
Did the CDC identify the hatcheries?
No. The CDC said investigators identified eight hatcheries that had sold infected birds, but the source report did not name them.
Is the outbreak still ongoing?
The CDC declared the outbreak over in September 2026. The declaration describes the status of this reported outbreak; it does not mean every Salmonella infection linked to poultry has been ruled out.
Why might the actual number of illnesses be higher?
Some people with Salmonella do not seek medical care, and some who do are not tested for the bacteria. The CDC estimates that 29 infections go undetected for every confirmed patient in a Salmonella outbreak; that estimate is not a case count specific to this event.
Source: rss
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