#16,631
Today the USDA announced that the detection of HPAI H5 in backyard flocks in two states - Kansas and Illinois - bringing the number of states reporting the virus in captive birds to 14, with an additional 9 states reporting the virus in wild birds.
While both are backyard flocks, the one in Kansas is classified as `poultry' while the flock in Illinois is not. The USDA differentiates between the two based on the following criteria:
Non-poultry: Birds that are kept in a single household, the products of which are used within the same household exclusively, are not considered poultry, if they have no direct or indirect contact with poultry or poultry facilities.1
Poultry: All birds reared or kept in captivity to produce any commercial animal products or for breeding for this purpose, fighting cocks used for any purpose, and all birds used for restocking supplies of game or for breeding for this purpose, until they are released from captivity
`Non-poultry' could also include ornamental or recreational birds (including some types of chickens).
First today's announcement, then I'll return with a bit more.
USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Kansas and IllinoisPublished: Mar 12, 2022
WASHINGTON, March 12, 2022 – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard mixed species poultry flock in Franklin County, Kansas and a non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) in Mclean County, Illinois.
Samples from the Kansas flock were tested at the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and samples from the Illinois flock were tested at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. Both laboratories are part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. The samples were confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.
APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials in both states on joint incident responses. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the properties will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flocks will not enter the food system.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.
As part of existing avian influenza response plans, Federal and State partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flocks. The United States has the strongest AI surveillance program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory wild bird populations.
Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources
USDA will report these findings to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as well as international trading partners. USDA also continues to communicate with trading partners to encourage adherence to OIE standards and minimize trade impacts. OIE trade guidelines call on countries to base trade restrictions on sound science and, whenever possible, limit restrictions to those animals and animal products within a defined region that pose a risk of spreading disease of concern. OIE trade guidelines also call on member countries to not impose bans on the international trade of poultry commodities in response to notifications in non-poultry.
APHIS will continue to announce the first case of HPAI in commercial and backyard flocks detected in a State but will not announce subsequent detections in the State. All cases in commercial and backyard flocks will be listed on the APHIS website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai
In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, either through their state veterinarian or through APHIS’ toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. APHIS urges producers to consider bringing birds indoors when possible to further prevent exposures. The Animal Health Protection Act authorizes APHIS to provide indemnity payments to producers for birds and eggs that must be depopulated during a disease response. APHIS also provides compensation for disposal activities and virus elimination activities. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.
The last time HPAI H5 visited North America (2015), hundreds of farms were affected across 15 states and 2 provinces of Canada resulting in the loss of 50 million birds.
This year's outbreak covers nearly as many states, but has affected far fewer commercial farms, and so losses have been limited. This is likely due to better farm biosecurity, and early warning that the virus had been detected in Eastern Canada last December.
During the last American epizootic, outbreaks continued well into June, meaning that this outbreak could have several more months to go.
While the western half of the country has been spared so far, as birds begin their spring migration to their northern roosting grounds, this virus will probably be carried with them. Which means anyone in the United States raising poultry or backyard birds should be focused on keeping this virus out of their flocks.
The USDA has some good advice on how to Defend The Flock at the website below
