Avian influenza virus

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in six southwestern Ontario bird flocks, of which two are in ...

Any birds that have not already succumbed to the virus are euthanized and disposed of. Subsequently, the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg confirmed these samples as highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1,” states the email. The incubation period ranges between two and 14 days. “Implementing and adhering to biosecurity best management practices is critical to preventing the introduction and spread of the disease,” states a March 27 OMAFRA avian influenza disease update. “Scientific evidence indicates that the avian influenza virus circulates naturally in wild birds, and is spread through migratory birds.” Outbreaks of H5N1 have been confirmed in a flock of turkeys in Guelph/Eramosa (March 27), and in ducks in Centre Wellington (April 4).

The highly contagious and deadly avian influenza is spreading among poultry birds in Canada, with government authorities tracking cases in 12 farms so far ...

We have to do it in order to keep our livelihood." The COVID-19 pandemic could have both positive and negative consequences for tracking the spread of avian influenza. "But again, you don't want to miss the first one." Samira Mubareka, a physician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and virologist at the University of Toronto, says vigilance is key to making sure any human cases are caught early. "The impact on the Canadian poultry industry is fairly significant, with exports of around $800 million a year to various markets. A goose, duck, red-tailed hawk and red-breasted merganser have tested positive for the strain in Ontario in recent weeks.

Avian influenza (AI) is a contagious virus that affects all birds. There are two groups of AI viruses that cause disease in chickens: highly pathogenic AI and ...

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk to public health from this outbreak is low. Ultimately, the USDA’s goal is to eradicate HPAI quickly after it is detected. To detect AI, the U.S. Department of Agriculture oversees routine testing of flocks done by farmers and carries out federal inspection programs to ensure that eggs and birds are safe and free of virus. One reason for this is that using vaccines would potentially affect international trade and poultry exports. Some research indicates that detection of HPAI viruses in wild birds has become more common. The USDA recommends cooking eggs and poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 Celsius). We call this process the four D’s of outbreak control: diagnosis, depopulation, disposal and decontamination. This means that the virus is well adapted to them, and these birds do not typically get sick when they are infected with it. Scientists who monitor wild bird flocks have also detected a reassortant virus that contains genes from both the Eurasian H5 and low pathogenic North American viruses. HPAI viruses cause high mortality in poultry, and occasionally in some wild birds. Avian influenza (AI) is a contagious virus that affects all birds. An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in chicken and turkey flocks has spread across 24 U.S. states since it was first detected in Indiana on Feb. 8, 2022.

The Avian Influenza (“bird flu”) virus infects domestic poultry and wild birds such as geese, ducks, and shore birds. This is “bird flu” season and there ...

If you have handled a sick wildlife bird or poultry then watch for symptoms of Avian Influenza that can range from very mild to severe. The handling of dead birds is considered a lower risk activity and has not been implicated in transmission of the virus to date. This is “bird flu” season and there have been several reports of Avian Influenza in wild and commercial poultry settings across Ontario, and we have had one infected Canada goose in our area.

The bird flu outbreak is primarily an "animal health issue," the CDC says. Here's what it is and how to protect yourself against it.

And the threat of bird flu causing an outbreak among people isn't new to 2022. Most outbreaks in flocks of birds have occurred on the East Coast and in the Midwest. But, the WHO noted in its February report, the recent bird flu cases do not appear to pose a greater public health threat this year than in previous years. Although human bird flu cases have remained rare, more than half of people infected with the virus have died. Highly pathogenic bird flu can cause severe disease or death in poultry, and it's those cases that the USDA is reporting. But in past years, those rare human cases of avian influenza (which have mostly been in people who work directly with birds) have killed more than half of the people who had reported infections.

Zoos across North America are moving their birds indoors and away from people and wildlife as they try to protect them from the highly contagious and ...

No infected birds are allowed into the food supply, and properly cooking poultry and eggs kills bacteria and viruses. Officials emphasize that bird flu doesn’t jeopardize the safety of meat or eggs or represent a significant risk to human health. Many already live in large glass enclosures or outdoor habitats where they don’t have direct exposure to wildlife, said Dr. Pilar Fish, the aviary’s senior director of veterinary medicine and zoological advancement. When bird flu cases are found in poultry, officials order the entire flock to be killed because the virus is so contagious. It would be especially upsetting for zoos to have to kill any of the endangered or threatened species in their care. So far, no outbreaks have been reported at zoos, but there have been wild birds found dead that had the flu.

More than 23 million birds in 24 states have been affected by the ongoing bird flu outbreak as the highly contagious virus infects flock after flock.

Growers continue to focus on biosecurity and closely monitoring the health of flocks." The deadliest avian flu outbreak in the United States claimed 50 million turkeys and chickens between December 2014 and June 2015. "Infected birds shed avian influenza A viruses in their saliva, mucous and feces," the CDC says. A six-mile control area around the site of the outbreak is monitored, and at least four weeks pass before barns can be restocked. "Avian influenza is not transmissible by eating properly prepared poultry," the USDA says. Further hurting demand, prices for eggs are rising as egg-laying hens are killed in the outbreak, limiting supplies. Backyard poultry owners need to follow biosecurity basics and report illness immediately. Wild migratory birds are believed to be the primary source of spread across state lines. That episode caused the death of 50 million birds — including 9 million in Minnesota, the nation's leading turkey producer. The 2015 outbreak caused millions of dollars in losses. The first case of the current outbreak was reported at a commercial turkey farm in Indiana in February. The type of avian influenza spreading in the U.S. has infected a total of just 880 people worldwide in the past 25 years, according to the agency.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent highly pathogenic avian influenza detections in birds do not present an immediate public ...

Nearly 23 million birds have died as a highly pathogenic bird flu virus tears its way through farms and chicken yards. It has spread to at least 24 states ...

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