Avian influenza, commonly known as "bird flu," is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A Influenza viruses. The disease is carried by many wild bird species including migratory waterfowl like ducks and geese, which show few if any clinical signs of the disease. Influenza in birds is very contagious and can cause severe illness and death in domestic species such as chickens and turkeys.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial turkey flock in Boone County, Ark.
Several findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have occurred in the Pacific flyway since mid-December 2014. HPAI was also identified in commercial turkeys and chickens in British Columbia (also part of the Pacific flyway) in November 2014. The first commercial poultry detection in the U.S. was in a turkey flock in California on Jan. 23, 2015.
The last time an HPAI virus in poultry was identified in the U.S. was in 2004 (found in chickens in Texas). Birds were quickly depopulated with no spread to any commercial flocks.
The risk to the public is very low and there is no food safety concern. Any risk of infection would be limited to people in direct contact with affected birds.
The highly pathogenic strain of H5N2 Avian Influenza has now been proven to be in the Mississippi Flyway for wild waterfowl. Cases have been found in commercial turkey farms in Minnesota, Missouri (2), and now in a turkey farm in northern Arkansas.
Anyone with a backyard flock or commercial poultry house needs to become aware of how a flock can become infected and make plans to prevent the next virus outbreak. Eliminate exposure to wild waterfowl by:Penning birds away from wild waterfowl.
Provide drinking water from wells or city/rural water instead of from ponds where wild waterfowl visit.
Cleaning and disinfecting shoes and boots before entering domestic poultry pens or houses if wild waterfowl are near.
Avian influenza can infect your backyard poultry or commercial house. If you have poultry that are sick and/or dying, see any unusual signs in your poultry or have questions concerning Avian Influenza, contact your local county agent, veterinarian, or livestock inspector, the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service poultry veterinarian (479-957-4245) or the Arkansas State Veterinarian's office (501-907-2400).
BERNI KURZ, COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT STAFF CHAIR, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE.
General News on 03/25/2015