MINNESOTA — An infection linked to pet store puppies — particularly puppies from national chain Petland — has sickened 30 people across the United States, including six people in Minnesota, authorities said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as public health officials in several states, are investigating a multistate outbreak of multidrug-resistant Campylobacter jejuni infections linked to puppies purchased from pet stores.

“Campylobacter bacteria isolated from clinical samples from ill people in this outbreak are resistant to commonly recommended, first-line antibiotics,” the CDC said.

Lab evidence suggests that the bacteria in this outbreak are genetically related to bacteria in a 2016–2018 outbreak in which puppies purchased from Petland stores were linked to drug-resistant infections.

Four hospitalizations have been reported in the latest outbreak, and no deaths have occurred.

Among 24 people interviewed so far by the CDC:

21 (88 percent) of the 24 people reported contact with a puppy.15 (71 percent) of these 21 people reported contact with a puppy from a pet store.12 (80 percent) of these 15 people were linked to national pet store chain Petland .5 (42 percent) of these 12 people were Petland employees.

“Petland takes the health and welfare of our employees, our customers and our pets very seriously,” the company said in a statement to Patch.

“Since an earlier outbreak in 2016, in which no specific source of infection was identified, Petland has implemented all recommended protocols from federal and state animal and public health officials to prevent human and puppy illness.”

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