Now that Iowa has its first confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) since 2015, state officials are stressing for all bird owners to practice good biosecurity.
State Veterinarian Dr. Jeff Kaisand says HPAI is highly contagious.
?It?s a viral disease affecting many bird species,? Kaisand said. ?A key thing to remember is that many species may not show signs of the disease. It can travel in wild birds and those wild birds don?t appear sick. Wild birds and migratory birds carry the disease and often times do not die or show any clinical signs. That?s why it?s important to make sure that interaction between wild birds and commercial production is maintained.?
Kaisand provides biosecurity advice for all bird owners.
?As I already mentioned, prevent that contact between their birds and wild birds. What is absolutely critical and the thing we can?t stress enough is report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to state or federal health officials immediately. The key to a swift and rapid response to an outbreak is reporting early. That gives us the opportunity to contain the disease as quickly as possible.?
Kaisand talks about some of the signs of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
?Coughing, sneezing, discharge from the nares, diarrhea, swelling of the eye lids, blue tinge patchy areas around the visible skin, feather loss, decreased water consumption, drop in egg production, sudden death, difficulty breathing, and lethargy are some of the clinical signs.?
State officials say the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States. It remains safe to eat poultry products.
On Friday, the USDA reported that an outbreak of the H5N1 strain of avian flu was confirmed in southeast Missouri. The impacted flock is approximately 240,000 broiler chickens.
