The CDC is warning consumers over a salmonella outbreak that has claimed one life and infected 164 people. A strain of Salmonella Reading has been linked to raw turkey products and under investigation for a year.

Everyone who has gotten sick has reported that they have either eaten turkey products or live in a home where a raw turkey product was consumed by pets. So far, samples that have tested positive for the strain have been taken from pet food, live turkeys, and raw turkey products consumed by humans.

Because these items have been purchased from multiple locations across at least 30 states, officials are having difficulty tracking down a single source for the outbreak. With this news coming so close to Thanksgiving, the CDC and USDA want consumers to be on alert and taking precautions when handling turkey.

Salmonella can be killed by cooking turkey thoroughly, and it should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165°F. That applies to turkey breasts, whole turkeys, or ground poultry. Wash your hands and prep area as the microbes can spread through contact.

The CDC is also urging pet owners to avoid feeding raw turkey foods to their pets, as the animals can get sick as well as the owners through touching the food. Symptoms of the illness usually appear within 12 to 72 hours and include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Click on this video to learn more!

Do you think you’ve been affected by this outbreak? Will you take extra precautions this Thanksgiving?