The following information was distributed by the Colorado Department of Agriculture on February 10, 2022.
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana. This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in commercial poultry in the United States since 2020. In January 2022, USDA confirmed the detection of HPAI in wild birds in South Carolina and has published all detections of HPAI in wild birds on this website.
HPAI is a highly contagious and fatal foreign animal disease in domestic poultry. Wild birds serve as a reservoir for influenza viruses and can spread these viruses to poultry. Certain strains of avian influenza are also zoonotic.
There are currently no cases of HPAI in Colorado. However, we are asking poultry producers and bird owners to increase biosecurity measures to help prevent HPAI from occurring in Colorado. The most important biosecurity practices that flock owners can take include limiting exposure of their birds to wild birds and other poultry flocks and limiting introduction of new birds into their flocks. People, equipment, vehicles, and other fomites can also serve as a mechanism for transmission of disease and need to be addressed in biosecurity plans.
What you can do:
BIOSECURITY: It is extremely important for poultry owners to increase biosecurity measures to protect their birds from HPAI. The USDA Defend the Flock website has helpful resources for keeping poultry healthy in any operation. Commercial poultry producers can use this toolkit to assess their biosecurity practices and preparedness.
MONITOR: Monitor your flock for clinical signs of HPAI, including monitoring production parameters (feed and water consumption, egg production) and increased morbidity and mortality. Any changes in production parameters that could indicate HPAI should be reported.
REPORT: It is important for veterinarians and producers to report any suspicious disease events in poultry flocks to the State Veterinarian’s office at 303-869-9130. If it is after hours, the voicemail message will indicate which veterinarian is on call.
If you have sick birds or birds that have died from unknown causes, help is available at the Colorado Avian Health Call Line at CSU, their number is 970-297-4008.
SECURE FOOD SUPPLY: We also strongly encourage poultry producers to enroll as a Secure Food Supply (SFS) participant through our office. The most important component of ensuring your continuity of business in the face of a HPAI outbreak is to enroll in SFS and have a biosecurity plan in place. If you would like more information on SFS, please reach out to: [email protected] or 303-263-2407.
Thanks for your work and helping to prevent HPAI in Colorado!
Resources:
CDA: Avian Influenza
USDA: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
CFSPH: Poultry Biosecurity
Indiana Board of Animal Health: HPAI
