On June 21, 2012 the CDC reported a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Montevideo infections linked to contact with live chicks and ducklings sold by Estes Hatchery in Springfield Missouri. By July 31, 2012 the CDC reported that a total of 76 persons living in 22 states were infected with the outbreak strain. Case patients resided in Alaska (1), California (2), Colorado (1), Florida (1), Georgia (1), Illinois (2), Indiana (9), Iowa (2), Kansas (10), Kentucky (1), Massachusetts (2), Missouri (24), Nebraska (8), Nevada (1), New York (1), North Carolina (1), Ohio (1), Oklahoma (4), South Dakota (1), Texas (1), Vermont (1), and Wyoming (1).

Among persons who reported the date they became ill, illnesses began between February 28, 2012 and July 15, 2012. Infected individuals ranged in age from less than one year old to 83 years old. Forty nine percent of ill persons were female. Among the 54 ill persons with available information, 17 (31%) were hospitalized. One death was reported in Missouri, but Salmonella infection was not considered a contributing factor in this person's death.

Forty-six (85%) of 54 ill persons interviewed reported contact with live poultry (e.g., chicks, chickens, ducks, ducklings, turkeys) before becoming ill. Forty (93%)of 43 ill persons with available purchase information reported purchasing live baby poultry from various locations of 16 different agricultural feed store companies in multiple states. An additional 5 persons reported purchasing baby poultry directly from mail order hatcheries. State health departments in California, Kentucky, Missouri, and Vermont cultured the outbreak strain of Salmonella Montevideo in chick samples collected from ill persons' homes. Findings of multipe traceback investigations of live baby poultry from homes of ill persons identified Estes Hatchery in Springfield, Missouri as the source of the chicks and ducklings.