Since the last update on June 13, 2019, illnesses in an additional 489 people and eight states have been added to this investigation. Five additional Salmonella serotypes have also been added.

A total of 768 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella have been reported from 48 states. Illnesses started on dates from January 1, 2019, to July 6, 2019. Ill people range in age from less than one year to 99 years, with a median age of 30 years. One hundred fifty-six ill people (24%) of 648 people with information are children younger than 5 years.  Fifty-seven percent are female. Of 419 people with information available, 122 (29%) have been hospitalized. Two deaths have been reported, one from Texas and one from Ohio.

Epidemiologic and laboratory evidence indicate that contact with backyard poultry, such as chicks and ducklings, from multiple hatcheries are the likely source of these outbreaks.In interviews, 237 (75%) of 315 ill people reported contact with chicks or ducklings.
People reported getting chicks and ducklings from several sources, including agricultural stores, websites, and hatcheries.

Five of the outbreak strains making people sick have been identified in samples collected from backyard poultry environments in four states. The sampling was from backyard poultry environments in ill people’s homes in California and Ohio and from poultry environments at retail stores in Michigan and Oregon.

Backyard poultry from multiple hatcheries are the likely source of these outbreaks. Regardless of where poultry are purchased, they can carry Salmonella germs that can make people sick. Backyard poultry owners should always follow steps to stay healthy around their poultry.

Salmonella:  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading law firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. The Salmonella lawyers of Marler Clark have represented thousands of victims of Salmonella and other foodborne illness outbreaks and have recovered over $650 million for clients.  Marler Clark is the only law firm in the nation with a practice focused exclusively on foodborne illness litigation.  Our Salmonella lawyers have litigated Salmonella cases stemming from outbreaks traced to a variety of foods, such as cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and food served in restaurants.  The law firm has brought Salmonella lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway and Wal-Mart.

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection, including Reactive Arthritis or Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), after consuming food and you’re interested in pursuing a legal claim, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.