A new report published in the New England Journal of Medicine has unfolded a startling fact that the source of an eight-year salmonella outbreak that occurred in the US was a single mail-order poultry hatchery.

It has been revealed that during the long-term outbreak between 2004 and 2011, a total of almost 316 people in 43 states had suffered. Also, a few thousand cases were also suspected, which were probably left as unreported due to laboratory confirmation of only some salmonella infections.

The report has found that of the total number of people who had been infected at that time, half were children.

Concerning the issue of outbreak, the CDC conducted a study and found that the source was "Hatchery C", located in the western United States. It is being said that nearly 4 million birds are produced by the hatchery each year.

Also, the same are transported to almost 50 states and some are given to children as Easter gifts. Since these are infected sometimes, these cause the large chunk receiving these to fall sick.

It is being said that hatcheries should strictly remain in compliance with the USDA's "National Poultry Improvement Program" so as to avoid any further risks.