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(Health Day)-Kissing your chicken or duckling is still not good-you may be infected with Salmonella in barnyard chickens.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued such a warning before, and now an agricultural expert reminds farmers in the backyard that it is best to avoid contact with their feather friends.

Craig Coufal, an associate professor in the Department of Poultry Science at the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, said people should take simple hygiene precautions after visiting or cleaning chicken coops, or even after handling birds, eggs, and meat.

The CDC reports that there has been an increase in Salmonella cases recently, with 198 more cases since June 24. Over a longer period of time, there have been 672 cases, including 157 hospitalizations and 2 deaths in 47 states. Approximately 25% of the cases occurred in children under 5 years of age.

“Some epidemics are more serious than others, but hundreds of infections occur every year,” Kufar said at a university press conference. "Many people, especially new producers who are not familiar with poultry, have not taken simple measures to prevent contact."

In 2020, the CDC reported more than 1,700 salmonella cases, including one death. There were 1,100 cases in 2019, including 2 deaths. More than 30% of the cases require hospitalization.

Coufal said that the abnormally high number of human Salmonella infections in 2020 may be related to the increase in the number of newly established backyard chickens during the pandemic.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the true number may be much higher than reported because many people recover without medical care and are not tested.

Coufal said that in prevention techniques, young children should not come into contact with poultry because they may come into contact with poultry. Adults and children should not kiss chicks, chickens or ducklings.

"The number of infected children under 5 always surprises me," Kufar said. "But these data are reasonable, because parents think that children holding or petting the birds are cute, but then the children put their fingers in their mouths and may be infected. This is playing with fire."

Preventive hygiene after handling chickens, their eggs, or working in the coop should include washing your hands with the hottest water you can tolerate.

Before entering the chicken house, take off the clothes you wear in the chicken house or when handling birds, especially shoes. Wash fresh eggs thoroughly with running warm water. Before putting them in the refrigerator, dry them with a paper or cloth towel that will not come into contact with your hands or kitchen surfaces. You can use disinfectant wipes instead.

Backyard farmers can also protect their flocks by not sharing equipment or materials with other producers. If you need to share the equipment, please clean it thoroughly and disinfect it with a bleach cleaner. Change shoes and clothes after visiting the neighbor’s chicken coop.

Coufal recommends buying chickens, ducklings and other poultry from reputable sources, including hatcheries or breeders that have passed the National Poultry Improvement Program (NPIP) certification. This should ensure that the poultry is healthier, but not necessarily Salmonella free.

"When you buy birds at a flea market or in an ad for buying, you really don't know where they come from," he said. "There is no guarantee to detect diseases or the health of the birds."

Coufal said that most chickens, ducks and turkeys carry some form of more than 2,000 salmonella species.

Symptoms of Salmonella include fever, stomach cramps, and diarrhea within 6 hours to 6 days after exposure. The illness usually lasts up to a week. The CDC states that children under 5, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems may be more susceptible to salmonella. Further explore the measures that backyard poultry producers should take to prevent Salmonella. More information: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides more information about backyard poultry.

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