"Avian Influenza or AI first appeared in Italy in 1878, in its most deadly form it is known as ‘Fowl Plague’. "
A laboratory worker brought pathogenic Avian Influenza illegally into the United States in 1923. Subsequently, it was first recognized in the United States in 1924-25, It again appeared in 1929; both times it was eradicated.
A major epidemic did not hit the U.S. again until 1983-84. It took 2 years to eradicate at a cost of more than 70 million dollars and approximately 17 million birds had to be destroyed.
In 1996-97, a less virulent strain was found in table-egg farms in Lancaster and Lebanon Counties, PA with devastating effects on the local poultry industry. In a six month time period, 9 flocks were depopulated and a 75sq. mile quarantine restricting the movement of poultry and poultry products was put in place to contain the virus.
Although less virulent strains of AI are present and have caused significant losses to poultry owners, another major outbreak of pathogenic AI would be disastrous to the American poultry industry.
Avian Influenza is caused by type A influenza virus. The symptoms can range from mild to highly fatal depending on strain, host factors and environment.
There are many serotypes, or strains of AI virus. The virus mutates at an extremely high rate, which is why some highly virulent strains have evolved from mild strains following repeated passage from chicken to chicken.
Currently, research efforts are being directed to understanding why and how mild forms become highly pathogenic.
AI is subdivided into serotypes based on their surface antigens, hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase(N). Historically AI strains that carry the H5 and H7 antigens are associated with disease in poultry.
Waterfowl, wild and domestic are the primary carriers of the disease. Most of the strains of AI have been isolated from ducks, more than from any other species of waterfowl.
Occasionally, they harbor more than one strain of the virus, and often do not develop a detectable antibody response after exposure to the virus. In fact, wild waterfowl usually do not show any signs of disease even though they can excrete the virus for a long period of time. Additionally, most free flying birds and frequently imported exotics may be infected as well.
Wild waterfowl are more resistant to the disease than domestic poultry. It can be rapidly fatal with turkeys being more commonly infected than chickens.
Specialty or hobby type flocks have an increased risk for an AI outbreak due to
direct or indirect contact with free flying birds. As a result, every effort must be
made to prevent any contact between domestic poultry and wild waterfowl.
Poultry bought at live auction markets,
where flocks are commonly mixed and proper sanitation is not always practiced has been a key link to outbreaks in commercial flocks.
Even flocks that have recovered from an outbreak of AI will intermittently shed the virus and should be considered infected for life.
There is no effective treatment for AI;
good husbandry, proper nutrition, and
broad-spectrum antibiotics may reduce
losses from secondary infections. Poultry owners are the first lines of defense in identifying and controlling outbreaks.
If exposure is suspected or signs of the disease develop immediately notify your state poultry officials, as virulent strains are considered exotic in the U.S. and as such are reportable to the USDA.
Clinical signs of the disease vary greatly
due to the pathogenicity of the affecting
virus. Occasionally the only sign of disease will be the detection of antibodies in the blood, and sometimes the only sign of AI will be the rapid death of birds affected.
More commonly the earliest signs of illness will be ruffled feathers, soft-shelled eggs, depression and droopiness, a sudden drop in egg production, and a loss of appetite. Other signs of AI may include coughing, sneezing, cyanosis (purplish-blue coloring)
of wattles and comb, edema and swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks, diarrhea, blood tinged discharge from the nostrils, uncoordination, including the inability to stand or walk, pin-point hemorrhages seen on the legs and feet, respiratory distress, and increased death losses of the flock.
Signs may be confused with other avian diseases such as infectious bronchitis, infectious laryngotracheitis, fowl cholera, and various forms of Newcastle disease.
Confirmation of the disease is made through testing of the blood for virus isolation and identification.
Postmortem lesions will vary in much the same way. They may include swelling of the face and area below the beak. Upon the removal of the skin from the carcass a clear straw colored fluid in the subcutaneous tissues will be found.
Engorgement of the blood vessels is usually present; hemorrhaging may be seen in the trachea, beneath the lining
of the gizzard, and throughout the intestines. The lining of the gizzard
may easily be removed. Other notable areas affected include the muscle along the breastbone, in the heart, gizzard
fat and abdominal fat. Young broilers
may show signs of dehydration along
with other lesions less pronounced or absent entirely.
Transmission of AI is through fecal contact and nasal and respiratory secretions that become airborne.
The virus has been found in water and organic material from lakes and ponds that are used by infected waterfowl. Additionally, the virus can remain viable for long periods of time at moderate temperatures, and if frozen indefinitely.
The virus is well protected from inactivation by organic means and can
be found in manure for up to 105 days. The disease can also spread through improper disposal of carcasses, manure, or by-products of infected birds. Insects and rodents may mechanically carry the virus into uncontaminated areas or flocks.
Persons visiting or working with poultry can transmit the virus from contaminated shoes and clothing, crates, egg flats and cases, vehicles, and other equipment
used in the industry. The virus has been isolated from turkey eggs suggesting vertical transmission, usually the embryos die and there is little to no evidence of egg borne infection of poults, however eggshell surfaces can be contaminated.
Therefore, caution should be used when visiting poultry operations and live market auctions to prevent the introduction of AI from poultry house to poultry house, to subsequent poultry operations or the home flock.
Newly acquired fowl should be strictly quarantined for at least 2 weeks, longer if suspicious symptoms become evident, or until testing can be done to rule out AI.
In the first two weeks of contracting the disease the virus is shed in the saliva, nasal secretions, and in the feces. After four weeks the virus can no longer be detected, although it can still be shed periodically just not to the degree previously.
The virus is very sensitive to most
detergents and disinfectants along with
being inactivated by heating and drying. Contaminated houses should be heated for several days, afterward all organic materialis removed, then all surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Litter and manure should be composted for an extended time period or buried to prevent re-infection and spread of the disease.
A vaccination program, in conjunction with strict quarantine has been used to control mild forms of the disease in commercial chicken and turkey flocks.
With the lethal forms of AI rapid depopulation and strict quarantine are the only effective means to stop the disease from spreading.
**NOTE**
With the seriousness of this diease we here at The Gander Gab sites have decided to do an on going report on the spread, and amount of outbreaks around the Nation. Please check back often for the latest scoop on AI.
***UPDATE ON AI***
The latest A.I to date is in the valleys of Virginia.
it is taking terrible losses right now on some 109 farms that under quarrentine, 99 farm depopulated, 24 turkey breeder farms, 67 commercial meat turkeys farms, 7 broiler chicken farms and 11 broiler breeding farms so far. 2,344,700.00 birds have had to be destroyed !!! 300,915,00 birds in quarrentine waiting to die the department of agriculture states that it might be slowing down- to 3-4 cases a day instead of the 10-11 it was.
They plan on retesting all flocks again even though they may have tested negative at first. They are doing this in an attempt to figure out how the A.I. continues to spread.
Its thought that it either
can be from the wild flocksand that it all started with a flock of quail from North Carolina, its believed or from testers and contanimated equiptment vehicles tires clothing ect: they are having farmers to leave samples at the end of the driveway for pick up to test, so as not to risk having them drive on to their farms and risk spreading it more.
Big commercial turkey farms are hit pretty hard, also Pilgrim Pride had 72 farms infected, Cargill Turkey products are under quarrentine,
and Georges Inc. has 6 farms infected. Perdue has now 4 farms infected based in the Harrisinburg and Rockingham county. At this point the hardest hit right now is Virginia, although the states several states report that they
have been affected outbreaksin thier live bird markets . Virginia, California, Georgia, Maine, Mexico Connecticut, Pennsylvania and the New York and New Jersey.
I spoke to Dr. Quinn D.V.M., the state vet from North Carolina and
as of last week he stated he has had no reports of positive flocks at this point. (I called because thats where i bought my araucana chicks and wanted to be sure on that one)
This is the informations that I have gathered to this date. I will check around the web on a daily basis, and plan on adding to this to help us all out on this devastating disease.
EMERGENCY UPDATE 5/02 The Department of Agriculture issued a emergency rule effective Immediatly
NO poultry may enter the state from other states that had been affected including Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina either by sale, barter auction, exchange or exhibition.
If you leave the state with birds, you have to have them tested before they are allowed back into the state.
Tommy Irvin the Commisioner of Agriculture, states that Georgias commoditys are worth 300 million dollars and that they are trying to stop it before it enters the state.
He is also trying to refrain poultry owners from visiting any other farms from affected state. This Rule applys to all turkey, chickens chuckers, quail, pheasants, peafowl guineas, ratites, geese and ducks.
**NOTE**
I want to say a special thanks KJ Theodore of Shagbark Bantams for her help with this thanks update! bobbie
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