Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza continue to pop up across the West with detections found in wild birds and commercial poultry flocks in 14 states and counting, according to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
To date, the United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed cases of H5N2 and H5N8 strains of the virus in birds in Missouri, Minnesota, Kansas, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, Idaho and Arkansas. The detections cross three of the nation’s four major flyways, migratory paths used by wild birds, including the Pacific, Central and Mississippi flyways.
While no cases of the virus have been detected in Colorado, state veterinarian Keith Roehr said the recent outbreak has the state on alert and working closely with the USDA and Colorado State University for surveillance testing and response to calls regarding sick birds.
Although the viruses spreading across North America do not pose a major human threat, Roehr said the recent outbreak has created elevated concern for other reasons.
The highly pathogenic forms of the virus spreading now do not appear to slow down infected wild birds. Affected wildlife have demonstrated the ability to continue traveling well, elevating the risk of infection to backyard and commercial flocks.
While Colorado ranks 33rd nationally for poultry and egg production, according to the 2012 Census of Agriculture, a detection of the virus in the state could deepen trade restrictions on poultry that have already been announced by Canada and Mexico, said Kristy Pabilonia, an associate professor and veterinarian at Colorado State University.
She said commercial and backyard flocks alike could suffer infection, but backyard flocks lacking proper protections are at the greatest risk.
“The biggest thing is to minimize any contact with wild birds, particularly wild waterfowl with the backyard flock. Keeping the flock in a fenced-in area and having a good fence with netting over the top of it is very helpful,” she said.
Because the virus is spread through bird feces and other secretions, Roehr and Pabilonia recommended backyard bird owners take a page from the book of commercial operators and set aside special clothing used exclusively when interacting with their flocks.
“I always recommend to people that they have dedicated clothing, dedicated coveralls, dedicated footwear when working with a backyard flock so that they’re not using the same shoes that they’ve been all over the place in,” she said, indicating the risk of unknowingly carrying contaminants back home.
Roehr said commercial operations implement similar biosecurity practices to avoid such contamination. Workers are restricted from visiting areas with wild birds and must change their shoes and clothing before entering work spaces. Indoor housing also reduces risk for commercial flocks.
Recent detections on farms in major turkey and chicken producing states, however, indicate that large producers, such as egg operation Morning Fresh Farms in Platteville, must remain vigilant. APHIS has confirmed five commercial detections in Minnesota, including in a turkey flock of 35,000. A detection has also been confirmed in a commercial turkey flock of 53,000 in South Dakota, which sits on the Central flyway, the migratory path used by birds passing over Colorado.
