Dirty birds cause Salmonella outbreak in Michigan

LANSING - Michigan health officials warn of a rising number of salmonella cases.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on Monday reported 20 cases since March 2 through direct contact with live baby chicks or ducklings. Six of those people were hospitalized.

The department’s chief medical executive, Dr. Eden Wells, says in a release that raising chicks and fresh eggs can get people sick even though it can be “fun and educational.”

Wells says dirty birds carry germs that can infect people when they handle them or their cages and coops. Young children are at greater risk.

Salmonella symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, fever and abdominal cramps. The department advises people who handle young birds to wash their hands with soap and water immediately after touching them.