An outbreak of salmonella in the US has led the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) to issue one of the strangest health warnings we’ve heard yet.
They are urging those who keep poultry to “stop cuddling your chickens”, as they fear close contact with chickens could be spreading the disease.
So far this year, 370 people have been diagnosed with salmonella across 47 states, and 71 were hospitalised. Ohio has had the most salmonella infections, followed by Kentucky, California and Tennessee.
Children are more susceptible to salmonella than adults, so the CDC advises those who keep poultry not to let their children play with them.
They also advise that poultry should be kept out of the house, and urge those who handle chickens to wash their hands thoroughly after touching them.
According to The Mail Online, 36 per cent of those infected with salmonella this year were under the age of five.
Infants, elderly people and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk of salmonella infection.
Salmonella is a bacterial infection, commonly caused by eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Meat, poultry and eggs are most likely to carry the bacteria.
Both wild and domesticated birds can carry the germs in their feet, beaks, feathers and droppings.
Symptoms of salmonella infection include gastro-enteritis, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and fever. The illness can range from mild to severe.
The infection can become fatal if it spreads from the intestines to the blood stream and other parts of the body. Three patients died from salmonella infections in the US, in 2016; but overall, deaths from the infection are rare.
Salmonella can be contracted easily from meat and eggs, so it is vital to always prepare these properly. These are some tips for reducing your risk of salmonella infection:
- Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the toilet and before preparing meals.
- Always clean your kitchen utensils with soap and water before using them to prepare a different type of food.
- Use different chopping boards for different foods, i.e. one for meat only.
- Ensure meat is thoroughly cooked, with no pink showing in the middle.
- If you are cooking with eggs, run them under boiling water for five seconds to kill bacteria on the shell.
- Keep raw and cooked meat separate.
- Always cook eggs thoroughly. Raw eggs should be avoided by pregnant women, those with poor immunity, babies and toddlers.
