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  • Backyard Poultry Drives Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak, with Texas Among Hardest Hit

    Backyard Poultry Drives Multi-State Salmonella Outbreak, with Texas Among Hardest Hit

    A multi-state Salmonella outbreak linked to backyard poultry continues to affect Texas and surrounding states as of May 2026, with children accounting for a significant proportion of confirmed cases.

    According to CDC outbreak investigations, at least 180–200 people across more than 30 states have been infected, with a notable concentration in southern states, including Texas. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports indicate that exposure is primarily associated with handling chicks, ducklings, and backyard poultry environments.

    Texas health officials report clusters in suburban and rural counties where backyard poultry ownership has increased in recent years. Many cases involve young children who were exposed while handling animals at home or in community settings.

    Salmonella infection typically causes diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, and nausea. While most cases resolve without treatment, severe infections can require hospitalization, particularly in young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.

    Public-health investigators emphasize that the outbreak is not food-based in most cases, but instead tied to direct animal contact. Poultry can carry Salmonella bacteria even when they appear healthy, making prevention dependent on hygiene practices rather than animal appearance.

    The CDC has repeatedly warned against allowing young children to handle poultry unsupervised. Handwashing after contact and avoiding indoor housing of birds are key prevention measures.

    Texas hospitals have reported increased pediatric visits for gastrointestinal illness consistent with Salmonella exposure. While fatal cases remain rare, hospitalizations have occurred in multiple states during the current outbreak cycle.

    Experts note that backyard poultry ownership has expanded significantly since the pandemic period, increasing the potential for repeated exposure events in suburban communities.

    The outbreak highlights an often-overlooked public-health risk: zoonotic transmission from domestic animals that are not traditionally considered high-risk.

    As May concludes, health officials continue urging caution and improved hygiene practices among households with backyard poultry.

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  • Alarm Raised in Rise of Gun-Related Injuries Among Kids

    Alarm Raised in Rise of Gun-Related Injuries Among Kids

    Cook Children’s Medical Center is urging parents to lock up their firearms as they recorded a significant increase in the number of gun-related injuries among kids.

    The situation comes as school is out and children are spending more time at home, which is considered one of the factors for the development. In just the first half of this year, Cook Children’s has already treated 40 firearm injuries, which is nearing the total of 60 for the whole of last year.

    Cook Children’s Encourage Parents To Better Lock Up Firearms

    The program coordinator at the center, Eric Gonzalez, said the number is significantly higher than they expected and is probably more than what has been recorded in the last three years. He added that the situation is most likely a result of the number of firearms in households, particularly in Texas, and the fact that many of them are not properly stored.

    Gonzalez said that there are more and more guns out there every day and that firearms are becoming a prevalent part of the community, especially in Texas. Doctors argue that it is not only handguns that are worrying as BB guns, airsoft guns, and paintball guns can send children to the emergency room, according to CBS News.

    The program coordinator added that injuries caused by these items can be quite serious, noting that an airsoft gun can result in two to three inches of penetration. This means that a 9mm handgun can lead to far worse injuries.

    To prevent more injuries, Cook Children’s is encouraging parents who own firearms or similar items to follow the so-called “Three T’s.” These are, Talk to your kids, Teach them about gun safety, and Take action by locking up firearms.

    More Young Victims of Gun Violence

    On top of this, the center produced public service announcements and continues to do community outreach where it gives away lock boxes and cable locks for firearms. Summer vacation is a cause for concern because of sleepovers, which could put children in unfamiliar environments, Fox4News reported.

    The situation comes as the United States experienced a sudden rise in firearm mortality among youth in the past few years as firearms became the leading cause of death among children and adolescents in 2020.

    Other than firearm deaths, many youth who survive gunshot wounds or have been exposed to gun violence can develop negative behavioral health patterns. This was seen in increased youth suicide risk being linked to communities that are exposed to school shootings, as per KFF.



    Originally published on parentherald.com

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  • Kansas Tuberculosis Outbreak That Killed Two, Sickened Dozens, Among Largest In U.S. History

    Kansas Tuberculosis Outbreak That Killed Two, Sickened Dozens, Among Largest In U.S. History

    A tuberculosis outbreak that has gripped Kansas for nearly a year, claiming two lives and infecting dozens, is among one of the largest in U.S. history.

    As of Jan. 24, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 67 confirmed cases of active tuberculosis, along with 79 latent infections. However, health officials confirm there is no threat to the general public.

    “To date, most TB cases have been in Wyandotte County, with very low risk to the general public, including the surrounding counties,” the health officials from Kansas state said in a statement.

    Tuberculosis (TB) is a highly infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It primarily affects the lungs and spreads through the air when a symptomatic infected person talks, coughs, or sings. TB can take two forms: active and latent. In its active stage, it triggers a persistent cough, lasting for three weeks or longer, coughing up blood or phlegm, along with chest pain, fatigue, chills, night sweats, fever, and weight loss. In its latent stage, the bacteria remain dormant, causing no symptoms, and there is no risk of transmission. However, if not treated, the latent stage can progress into active TB.

    Both inactive tuberculosis (latent TB infection) and active TB disease are treatable, but they require different approaches. Treatment involves a combination of antibiotics taken over several months, with regimens lasting three, four, six, or even nine months, depending on the severity of the infection and the specific treatment plan.

    In 2023, TB claimed an estimated 1.25 million lives and has regained its title as the world’s deadliest infection caused by a single pathogen. As per the CDC data, there were a total of 8,700 cases of tuberculosis in the U.S. last year.

    Kansas health officials have described the recent tuberculosis outbreak reported since January 2024 as the largest documented in U.S. history since the CDC began tracking cases in the 1950s. However, the CDC has disputed that claim, pointing to at least two larger outbreaks in recent years. One of the most severe occurred between 2015 and 2017 in Georgia homeless shelters, where the disease spread rapidly, leading to more than 170 active TB cases and over 400 latent infections. Another major outbreak in 2021 was linked to contaminated tissue used in bone transplants, infecting 113 patients across the country.

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  • Harvard Chan School faculty recognized among world’s most influential researchers

    Harvard Chan School faculty recognized among world’s most influential researchers


    Home / News / Harvard Chan School faculty recognized among world’s most influential researchers
    Exterior of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health's Kresge building
    Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Kresge building / Photo: Anna Webster

    More than 30 faculty members or researchers affiliated with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health were named to Clarivate Analytic’s 2024 list of Highly Cited Researchers. The annual list includes researchers from around the world whose papers have been cited most often by their peers—in the top 1% of citations for a chosen field or fields.

    Worldwide, 6,886 researchers were named to the 2024 “highly cited” list. Those affiliated with Harvard Chan School are listed below. Thirteen Harvard Chan School faculty were identified as having exceptional performance across several fields. Their names are marked with an asterisk.

    They include: Rifat Atun*, Andrea Baccarelli*, David Bates*, Francesca Dominici*, Sarah Fortune*, Wendy Garrett, Edward Giovannucci, Christopher Golden*, William Hanage*, Miguel Hernan, Frank Hu, Curtis Huttenhower, Rafael Irizarry*, Ichiro Kawachi*, Karestan Koenen, Nancy Krieger, I-Min Lee, Marc Lipsitch*, Vasanti Malik*, Brendan Manning, JoAnn Manson, Vikram Patel, Alkes Price, Eric Rimm*, Shekhar Saxena, Meir Stampfer*, S.V. Subramanian, Elsie Sunderland, Tyler VanderWeele, Walter Willett, David Williams.

    Krieger was featured in a Q&A on the site as one of seven researchers whose work contributes to societal impact. She said, “As someone whose scientific work for health justice is not part of the mainstream research that dominates the public health and medical literature, I find it encouraging, from the standpoint of health equity, that my work is cited frequently enough to merit my being named a Highly Cited Researcher. It is an affirmation that my work is of use to others.”

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    Nancy Krieger

    Professor of Social Epidemiology

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