One of the scariest issues in the poultry industry today is highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as the bird flu or avian flu. Avian influenza is a highly contagious disease in wild and domestic bird species capable of producing extremely rapid and high mortality, and as you know, it has rocked the poultry industry. We’re going to break down what it is, how to recognize it and why the most recent outbreak as been so much worse than those in the past. Since the early months of 2022, the CDC reports that more than 52 million birds across 46 states have either died as a result of HPAI infection or been culled due to exposure to infected animals. That makes this the single largest HPAI outbreak in the U.S. ever. Until this point, the largest outbreak in the U.S. was in 2015, when just over 50 million birds were lost from 21 affected states. Avian influenza is similar to human influenza viruses in that both can “gene swap” inside infected bodies, in this case infected birds, and create new virus strains. This allows for many outbreaks of avian influenza to occur over time. Both of the most recent outbreaks began in the winter. In the case of the 2015 outbreak, positive cases stopped by the following June thanks to the warm weather. But in the case of the current outbreak, positive cases continued through the summer of 2022 and picked back up when the weather cooled down. There was no true break—the cases just kept coming. But why is this? What’s different this time? When avian influenza viruses circulate, several factors can determine how impactful and widespread they will be. One marked difference in this avian influenza virus outbreak the route of transmission. During the 2015 outbreak, the majority of positive cases were due to farm-to-farm transmission. In contrast, this outbreak is being driven by wild bird reservoirs. Wild and domestic birds can be infected with HPAI, but wild birds are more likely to show no signs of illness. This allows them to carry the disease with them while migrating. They expose domestic poultry populations as they go. Migratory birds tend to travel in one of four flyway zones over the U.S.: the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific zones. While the 2015 outbreak was limited to just three of these zones, the current outbreak has caused cases in all four zones. This extensive presence in wildlife reservoirs is speculated to be what made it possible for the virus to persist through warmer temperatures. As the migratory birds make their way to their winter homes, they leave behind virus shed in their droppings. Domestic and wild birds can then become infected by direct contact not only with infected animals, but with their droppings or from environmental contamination. Contaminated surfaces can be anything from bedding to equipment and feed to shoes that have been in contact with the HPAI virus and can thus infect domestic poultry. In an effort to ensure that outbreaks are detected as early as possible, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service partners with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, along with other national organizations, to conduct active monitoring for avian influenza in wild bird populations. This allows commercial poultry companies and growers to prepare for an outbreak and change biosecurity practices prior to the introduction of domestic birds. what happens if my birds do get HPAI? What should I expect? Some common signs of an infection with avian flu viruses are lethargy and unwillingness to eat, nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, purple discoloration of the combs and wattles and sudden and rapid mortality. I’ve never experienced it myself, but some say that walking into a house of birds with an avian flu virus is eerily quiet because the infected birds are so unwilling to react. If you start suspecting that your farm is infected with avian influenza/bird flu, it is important to report it as soon as possible so that the appropriate entities can assist with testing. Your farm will likely be quarantined until HPAI is confirmed or denied, meaning that only authorized workers are allowed on and off the premises. Additionally, the movement of poultry, poultry products, and equipment is restricted to limit the amount of infected poultry. In the event that your farm is confirmed positive for avian influenza, state and federal authorities will assist in depopulating the farm. Birds infected with HPAI are not allowed to enter the food chain. So once cases are confirmed, the goal is to contain the virus as quickly as possible to prevent spread to other populations of birds in close proximity! If you have any questions for us, you can reach us at Success@SouthlandOrganics.com or by calling 800-608-3755.
