niman Posted February 20, 2022 Report Share Posted February 20, 2022 (edited) 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) in a non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) in Knox County, Maine. Samples from the flock were tested at the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/stakeholder-info/sa_by_date/sa-2022/hpai-maine Charly Haversat and her husband, Jack Matheson, love the flock of 25 friendly chickens and ducks they raised in their Cushing backyard. https://www.yahoo.com/now/maines-1st-avian-flu-outbreak-010800107.html Edited February 24, 2022 by niman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 20, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2022 USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Non-Commercial Backyard Flock (Non-Poultry) in Maine Published: Feb 19, 2022 Print Contacts: [email protected] WASHINGTON, February 20, 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) in a non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) in Knox County, Maine. Samples from the flock were tested at the Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials in Maine on a joint incident response. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the properties will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 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. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses. As part of existing avian influenza response plans, Federal and State partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flock. The United States has the strongest AI surveillance program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory wild bird populations. Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources USDA will report these findings to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as well as international trading partners. USDA also continues to communicate with trading partners to encourage adherence to OIE standards and minimize trade impacts. OIE trade guidelines call on member countries to not impose bans on the international trade of poultry commodities in response to such notifications in non-poultry. APHIS will continue to announce the first case of HPAI in commercial and non-commercial backyard flocks detected in a State but will not announce subsequent detections in the State. All cases in commercial and non-commercial backyard flocks will be listed on the APHIS website at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, either through their state veterinarian or through APHIS’ toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. APHIS urges producers to consider bringing birds indoors when possible to further prevent exposures. The Animal Health Protection Act authorizes APHIS to provide indemnity payments to producers for birds and eggs that must be depopulated during a disease response. APHIS also provides compensation for disposal activities and virus elimination activities. Additional information on biosecurity for non-commercial backyard flocks can be found at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov. Additional background Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza type A virus which can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) and is carried by free flying waterfowl such as ducks, geese and shorebirds. AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9). Many different combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible. Each combination is considered a different subtype and can be further broken down into different strains which circulate within flyways/geographic regions. AI viruses are further classified by their pathogenicity (low or high)—the ability of a particular virus strain to produce disease in domestic poultry. # USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2022 Map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=44.11271298640136%2C-68.99689290202996&z=8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 On Sunday, Feb 20, the USDA announced a confirmed case of the avian influenza detected in a small flock of non-commercial backyard birds in St. George. DACF Animal Health officials worked with the Knox County premises to control the potential spread of avian influenza. https://knox.villagesoup.com/2022/02/23/second-flock-of-birds-found-with-avian-flu/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 23, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2022 USDA announced a confirmed case of the avian influenza detected in a small flock of non-commercial backyard birds in St. George. map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=43.998357251546956%2C-69.29155642039095&z=11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2022 Maine's 1st avian flu outbreak forces couple to kill entire chicken flock Abigail Curtis, Bangor Daily News, Maine Wed, February 23, 2022, 8:08 PM·5 min read Feb. 23—Charly Haversat and her husband, Jack Matheson, love the flock of 25 friendly chickens and ducks they raised in their Cushing backyard. So last Monday, when Haversat went down to the coop and saw that a chicken named Salt had died, they were saddened. Later that day, alarm set in when they found another chicken dead. The death of a third chicken the following day prompted full-scale panic. "These were our pets," she said. The couple talked to their veterinarian, who asked if they could send one of the dead birds to be tested and said that avian flu was a remote possibility. By the time the test results came in at the end of the week, seven more chickens had died. The culprit? The bird tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza, marking the first time that the H5N1 virus had been confirmed in Maine. The discovery has put the state on high alert as state and federal animal health officials try to keep the contagion from spreading. For Haversat and Matheson, it's meant the end of their flock. Avian influenza is carried by flying wild waterfowl like ducks, geese and shorebirds, which are all abundant on Maine's coast. Avian flu does not sicken wild fowl, but causes severe symptoms in domestic fowl including chickens, turkeys, ducks, pheasants, geese and guinea fowl. The disease doesn't present a food safety risk, according to state officials, who said that poultry and eggs are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly. In addition, there appears to be little risk of the influenza spreading to humans, as no cases of this particular strain of the avian influenza virus have been found in people in the U.S. Still, the consequences of an outbreak can be tragic and costly. A widespread bird flu outbreak in 2015 killed 50 million birds in 15 states and cost the federal government $1 billion. Dr. Michele Walsh, Maine's state veterinarian, said that if Mainers act appropriately and quickly, there's "a chance of getting ahead of it." But that might depend on the actions of people like Haversat and Matheson. When their birds started dying, they wanted to know why. Early symptoms in their chickens looked like lethargy, or sleepiness, with death usually coming within 12 hours. Other symptoms can include swollen heads, blue coloration of combs and wattles, lack of appetite, respiratory distress and diarrhea with a significant drop in egg production. Getting the diagnosis meant that Haversat and Matheson had to cull the rest of their flock, even the birds that didn't seem sick, because it's so contagious. A team came from the state to do that hard thing on Saturday, the day after the diagnosis came in. Walsh and another veterinarian euthanized the remaining 15 birds. "They were compassionate. They were humane. They were very, very understanding of the fact that these were our pets," Haversat said. It was a tough day for the couple, who always looked forward to seeing their birds' antics. "Whenever I would go down to the coop, or Jack would go down to the coop, we knew the day was going to start with a little snippet of joy," she said. "The ducks were super personable and they'd go zooming around outside. It was this little guarantee of joy that's gone." It was perhaps hardest to euthanize Stevie, a Pekin duck who was full of personality. He was their favorite duck, and acted as the elder statesman of the flock. "He was the last one to go in, and he was the one that nearly killed us," Haversat said. "We'll recover, but we have a new normal. We won't have the morning joy." If euthanizing the flock would solve the problem, that would be one thing, she said. But she believes the only way to get ahead of avian flu is for all people with backyard or commercial flocks to treat the matter with urgency. So far, that hasn't been the case, she said. The couple took a proactive approach to alerting the community, but some questioned why they called the state in the first place. "If one of your chickens gets avian flu, you're going to lose your whole flock, even if you don't tell the state," she said. On social media, she has noticed some people react to articles about the outbreak with flippant humor and sharp distrust of government and media. It's hard for her to see the posts joking about mask or vaccine mandates for chickens, or suggesting that the outbreak has been made up to keep people scared. "It both angered and saddened me," she said. "I feel that one of the reasons why Jack and I are speaking out is that people need to understand how serious this is, and that it isn't a joke." Haversat hopes people will understand that and do their part to stop the spread of the disease. A second case of H5N1 was detected in a backyard flock located less than two miles away from their home on Wednesday. "If we're not willing to work together, we're not going to be able to fix this," she said. "I think the part that really is frustrating is that people aren't taking this seriously. This could wipe out the poultry industry in the United States." https://www.yahoo.com/now/maines-1st-avian-flu-outbreak-010800107.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted February 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2022 (edited) 25 friendly chickens and ducks they raised in their Cushing backyard. map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=44.00744588789569%2C-69.30219946259766&z=12 Edited February 24, 2022 by niman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 Knox County, Maine 2/19/2022 Backyard Mixed Species Birds (non-poultry) 27 https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-2022/2022-hpai-commercial-backyard-flocks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted March 1, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 map update https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?mid=1E2wqF61M_F0pc9zOvoEs075hbeDW_Lot&ll=43.95727243563353%2C-69.26472778957326&z=11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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