ST. PAUL — Minnesota health officials have issued a warning about handling young poultry after nine cases of salmonella have been linked to young birds.

The Minnesota Department of Health says the salmonella cases occurred over the past several months, and are associated with a multistate outbreak being investigated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Department veterinarian Dr. Stacy Holzbauer says any newly hatched bird can carry the disease on their feathers or feet, even if they look clean. Holzbauer says children are more likely than others to develop serious complications if they are infected with salmonella.

“Essentially the birds are defecating in their own environment and so the bugs can be quite hardy outside of the intestinal tract as well,” said Holzbauer.

The state health department recommends washing hands thoroughly after handling poultry, and not allowing children younger than 5 to handle poultry. The department recommends keeping poultry outside and not washing their food and water dishes in the kitchen sink.

“Chicks can be a great attraction for children and families this time of year, but they can also be a source of illness,” Holzbauer said in a statement. “That is why it is so important for people handling them to take steps to prevent infection.”