We are learning more about the confirmation of high pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial U.S. flock.
Until this week, the virus had only been found in wild birds. USDA says that the virus killed hundreds of turkeys in a commercial operation in Indiana.
The National Veterinary Services lab confirmed the results on Tuesday and the entire flock was depopulated. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service says that they were able to move quickly and will take further action to prevent other outbreaks.
According to APHIS’s Koren Custer, “Next, we monitor the region, we set up quite a big surveillance zone around these areas. We do testing at prescribed intervals in the commercial premises, in those areas. And, we also pay close attention to the backyard flocks in those areas, just to make sure that if there is something that pops somewhere else close by, we can detect that quickly and move on that.”
After a set amount of time passes, APHIS says that the farm will be disinfected and tested again to make sure it is virus-free, before putting birds back on the farm.
Related:
Lake and wetland poultry producers warned to prepare for avian influenza