Mitigation efforts underway to detect and control spread of avian flu
Efforts are underway to detect and mitigate the spread of avian influenza found in a Southern Indiana poultry farm.
According to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH), a veterinarian delivered samples from the flock to the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University for testing after approximately one hundred birds died on Monday evening. The lab identified the H5N1 avian flu as the culprit.
So far, 29,000 birds will have to be euthanized due to possible contamination. BOAH is maintaining a dashboard to provide updates on the ongoing mitigation efforts.
According to Denise Derrer, spokesperson for BOAH, they have identified 17 commercial or poultry farms in a 10 km area around the index farm that have to quarantine while birds are tested. So far, none of those tests have come back positive.
Derrer expects the response could be much smaller than the 2016 avian flu outbreak. In comparison, the 2016 avian flu outbreak had about three times the number of farms in the quarantine area that had to be tested. “This is a less dense poultry area,” she said.
Additionally, in 2016 outbreaks in other farms popped up very quickly.
“Also, we learned a lot in 2016, and so did the poultry companies,” Derrer said.
They have changed some of their preparedness plans and are doing things differently when it comes to response and just containing the disease and getting on it quicker, she explained. “So we’re hoping all of that has a better end result,” she added.
State agencies are at the index farm where the outbreak was identified and are in the process of depopulating about 29,000 birds. The birds will compost under a controlled process to bring the organic material up to a temperature adequate to neutralize the virus. The barns will have to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after the depopulation is complete.
“Once that is complete and if we get a break in the disease cycle, we will go back in and do environmental testing to ensure the virus is not present in any way,” Derrer said. “And then once we can get that done, and the composting disposal method is seen as complete, then we can lift the quarantine and get back to business.”
The timeframe to complete all of this depends on environmental factors including the temperatures and weather. Derrer estimated it would take several weeks.
Meanwhile, the state is checking these other farms for the virus. Being highly pathogenic, the effect on infected birds is fairly apparent as most die in a short time.
The avian flu can spread to humans but no cases have been been reported or found at this time. “However, the county health department will have to monitor anyone that has had contact to make sure they don’t show any influenza-like illness to verify it hasn’t jumped over to humans,” Derrer said.
Derrer stated these outbreaks can commonly occur around waterfowl migrations. Wild ducks and geese can be carriers of the virus and not get sick. However, the virus is in their excrement and if it is carried into a turkey barn, it can be devastating on flocks.
BOAH is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Dubois County Extension Office, Dubois County Emergency Management Agency and the Dubois County Health Department as well as the state health department on the response to the outbreak.
Avian influenza does not present a food safety risk; poultry and eggs are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly. No human cases of avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.
This marks the first case of HPAI in Indiana in 2022. The last significant finding of HPAI was in Dubois County in 2016, when 11 poultry farms were affected by the H7N8 strain of the disease that resulted in a loss of more than 400,000 birds.
Indiana’s poultry industry ranks third nationally in turkey production, first in duck production, second in table eggs and egg-laying chickens, and is a significant producer of broiler chickens. The poultry industry employs more than 14,000 Hoosiers and is valued at $2.5 billion.
Hobby poultry owners are encouraged to practice good biosecurity and be aware of the signs of avian influenza and report illness and/or death to the USDA Healthy Birds Hotline: 866-536-7593. Callers will be routed to a state or federal veterinarian in Indiana for a case assessment. Dead birds should be double-bagged and refrigerated for possible testing.
Signs include sudden death without clinical signs; lack of energy or appetite; decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling or purple discoloration of head, eyelids, comb, hocks; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea. A great resource for backyard bird health information is online at: www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources
