Chicks and Ducklings: Salmonella
Those cute little chicks and ducklings can be a great attraction for children, especially in the spring time, but they can also be a source of illness, so it's important for those who handle them to take steps to prevent infection.
Steps to prevent illness:
- Always wash hands after handling live poultry.
- Chicks, ducklings, and other live poultry should not be kept as pets in households with young children (i.e. less than 5 years old) or other high risk individuals, including pregnant women, older persons and the immune-compromised.
About keeping chicks and ducklings (and other live poultry)
- Keeping Backyard Poultry
MDH website about keeping live poultry.- Risk of Human Salmonella Infections from Live Baby Poultry
CDC website about Salmonella and live baby poultry.
- Risk of Human Salmonella Infections from Live Baby Poultry
- Protecting Your Family from Salmonella (PDF)
MDH flyer about chicks and Salmonella.
- Seriously, how
cute are
baby chicks? (PDF)
Fun poster illustrating that while baby chicks are seriously adorable, Salmonella might be lurking under the fluff.
About Salmonella
- Salmonellosis (Salmonella)
MDH comprehensive Salmonella website. Includes information about common symptoms, how the disease is spread, how to minimize your risk of acquiring Salmonella, and information for health care providers.
Each year outbreaks of Salmonella occur as a result of individuals coming in contact with baby poultry that are carrying Salmonella.
- Salmonella Outbreaks
CDC website about Salmonella outbreaks, including those related to animals and food products.
About illnesses and animals
Intestinal Illness Acquired From AnimalsIn recent years, intestinal disease associated with places where the public has contact with farm animals (e.g., petting zoos, state or county fairs, educational farms) has been identified with increasing frequency.
- Preventing Illness Associated with Animal Contact
Fact sheet that answers frequently asked questions on how to stay healthy around household pets, petting zoos and fairs.
Spotlight
Safer Farm Animal Contact Exhibits (Safer FACEs)
The Safer Farm Animal Contact Exhibits (Safer FACEs) training program can help you understand the risks of illness and injury from farm animals, and how to protect your visitors. Complete this free online training and the Minnesota Department of Health will provide certification that your venue has learned about these issues.
Reptiles and Amphibians: Salmonella
Some reptiles and amphibians can make cool pets, but they can also be a source of illness. Reptiles (e.g., Iguanas, turtles, snakes) and amphibians (e.g., frogs and toads) carry Salmonella.
Keeping Food Safe During Buffets or Picnics
Buffets or picnics can be a means to transmit disease among your guests if care is not taken in how the food is handled.
Food Safety Outdoors
General rules for outdoor food safety.
There's No Such Thing as "Stomach Flu" (PDF)
Complaints of "stomach flu" are usually norovirus, the most common cause of gastrointestinal illness.
Food Safety Basics: Preventing Foodborne Illness
There's a lot you can do to handle and prepare your food safely. Learn what you can do to prepare, serve and store food safely.
Zoonotic Diseases: Disease Transmitted from Animals to Humans
A zoonosis (zoonotic disease or zoonoses -plural) is an infectious disease that is transmitted between species from animals to humans (or from humans to animals). Common illnesses associated with animal contact include Rabies, Brucellosis, Blastomycosis, and Plague.
Contact us:
If you have questions or comments about this page, use our IDEPC Comment Form or call 651-201-5414 for the MDH Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division.
