HQ -Faced with a rebound in salmonellosis cases in the United States, health authorities issued a curious recommendation: they asked citizens to stop kissing their chickens and other poultry.
“Do not kiss or hug domestic poultry, and do not eat or drink near them,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. federal public health agency, asked very seriously.
According to the CDC, an increase in the number of salmonellosis cases is partly related to this behavior: 163 cases have been registered since mid-February, and 34 of them have merited hospitalization.
“Interviews with sick people showed that contact with poultry was probably the source of the epidemic,” they added.
Even if they appear clean, these types of animals such as chickens and ducks can carry salmonella, a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever and vomiting, the CDC warned.
Authorities also recommended washing hands thoroughly after contact with poultry and discouraging children from playing with them.
Infections are usually caused by ingesting contaminated eggs or dairy products. Tens of millions of cases are reported each year, although they are rarely fatal.
No word from Costa Rica’s Ministry of Heatlh on the issue.