Free range chickens. (Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images) ATLANTA - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is cautioning Americans not to "kiss or snuggle backyard poultry" out of concern of growing salmonella cases linked to chickens.
The agency issued the warning Thursday on its website. Salmonella are bacteria that come from contaminated food or environment.
Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps and begin within six hours and last for up to seven days. Symptoms usually clear up without the aid of antibiotics, according to the CDC.The CDC said the county currently has 163 cases of salmonella and 34 hospitalizations across 43 states.People can get infected by eating contaminated food or drinking.