Apples for Health- CDC: Young kids shouldn't handle chicks

CDC: Young kids shouldn't handle chicks

ATLANTA, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- Children younger than age 5 should not be allowed to handle baby chicks or other baby birds, U.S. health officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report released Thursday advised that live poultry are a source of human Salmonella infections and people should wash their hands after any poultry contact.

Salmonellosis is a serious illness that can be transmitted to people through contact with live poultry, including baby chicks and ducklings. These birds are typically purchased directly from mail order hatcheries or through feed stores.

The report documents two distinct outbreaks of salmonellosis likely caused by exposure to live poultry purchased by mail order or from agricultural feed stores.

In one outbreak of 70 percent of infections occurred in children and many of the implicated birds were baby chicks purchased as pets during the Easter holiday season.

In contrast, in the other outbreak, 60 percent of the infections occurred in adults, several involved contact with older birds, and most occurred later in the calendar year, the report said.