Key points
Public health officials in several states are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella illnesses linked to contact with backyard poultry. Any backyard poultry can carry Salmonella germs that can make you sick. Always take steps to stay healthy around your flock.
Latest Update: April 23, 2026
CDC and public health officials in several states are collecting different types of data to investigate a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul infections.
Epidemiologic, traceback, and laboratory data show that contact with backyard poultry is making people sick.
Epidemiologic Data
As of April 13, 2026, a total of 34 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Saintpaul have been reported from 13 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from February 26, 2026, to March 31, 2026. Of 27 people with information available, 13 have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
The true number of sick people in an outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for Salmonella. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
Demographics
Public health officials collect many different types of information from sick people, including their age, race, ethnicity, other demographics, and the animals they had contact with in the week before they got sick. This information provides clues to help investigators identify the source of the outbreak.
The table below has information about sick people in this outbreak ("n" is the number of people with information available for each demographic).
Age
(n=34)
Range from <1 to 78 years
Median age of 12 years
41% under 5 years
Sex
(n=33)
58% male
42% female
Race
(n=28)
89% White
4% Asian
7% reported more than one race
Ethnicity
(n=29)
90% non-Hispanic
10% Hispanic
Animal contact
State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the animals they came into contact with in the week before they got sick. Of the 29 people interviewed, 23 (79%) reported contact with backyard poultry.
Traceback data
Of 14 people who reported owning backyard poultry, 13 (93%) purchased or obtained poultry since January 1, 2026. People reported getting their poultry from various places, including agricultural retail stores. Investigators continue to collect information about where sick people obtained poultry and what hatcheries supplied the retail stores where ill people purchased poultry.
Laboratory data
Public health investigators are using the PulseNet system to identify illnesses that may be part of this outbreak. CDC PulseNet manages a national database of DNA fingerprints of bacteria that cause gastrointestinal illnesses. DNA fingerprinting is performed on bacteria using a method called whole genome sequencing (WGS). WGS showed that bacteria from sick people's samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from contact with the same type of animal.
Investigators in Ohio collected samples from backyard poultry. WGS showed that the Salmonella Saintpaul found in these samples were the same strain as those found in sick people.
Based on WGS analysis, bacteria from 34 people's samples predicted resistance to fosfomycin. Of these, 8 people's samples also predicted resistance to one or more of the following antibiotics: chloramphenicol, streptomycin, sulfisoxazole, and tetracycline. More information is available at the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) site.