A salmonella outbreak among wild birds has spread to humans in a handful of states, including Oregon.
The illness has hit at least 19 people in eight states, causing fever, stomach cramps and in some cases more severe symptoms, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a public notice Thursday. The sickness has caused eight hospitalizations so far.
The salmonella outbreak started over the winter. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says that activity at feeders increases in cold weather, and this pile-up of birds can lead to infection at feeders that are not regularly cleaned.
“When you feed birds, be sure to start with clean feeders and to disinfect feeders periodically,” ODFW state wildlife veterinarian Dr. Colin Gillin said in a statement.
Pine siskins, nuthatches and chickadees are among the birds that commonly spread salmonella and other viruses at feeders and bird baths, ODFW says.
Pine siskins, which are small, yellow-streaked songbirds, have been tied to the outbreak in Oregon.
People can get sick by touching their mouth or eyes after handling a bird feeder or a wild bird.
If you have a bird feeder, the CDC recommends that you clean and disinfect it weekly with a bleach solution of nine parts water to one part bleach. You should clean the feeder again even before a week has passed if it’s “visibly dirty.” After cleaning the feeder, you also should thoroughly scrub and disinfect any sink or counter you used. You should not touch the feeder or wild birds with your bare hands.
The CDC says that if you become ill, you should see a doctor if you have a fever higher than 102 degrees, have diarrhea for more than three days or are regularly vomiting.
