While Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been on the radar of many, last week, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) sent out a release that communicated that HPAI had been detected in a backyard flock in Franklin County.
The purpose of this BYGL Alert is to share the information that was included in the ODA press release dated March 30, 2022, and provide additional information in the form of a brochure on biosecurity for birds (see images above).
ODA Press Release REYNOLDSBURG, OH (March 30, 2022) -- Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected in a backyard chicken flock in Franklin County. The positive detection was confirmed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS). The samples were first tested at the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
HPAI is a highly contagious virus that spreads quickly and can be fatal to flocks and devastating to poultry owners, both commercial and non-commercial.
State officials quarantined the affected premise, and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system. Federal and State partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flock. Surveillance activities will be conducted in a 10-kilometer zone around the infected premise.
HPAI 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. The recent HPAI detections do not present an immediate public health concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. No human cases have been detected in the United States. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.
“Enhanced Biosecurity is the number one preventive measure against avian influenza,” State Veterinarian Dr. Dennis Summers said. “HPAI can infect any size flock. We urge all poultry owners to intensify their biosecurity and best management practices.”
Biosecurity and best management practices include:
If you notice any symptoms or unexpected deaths in your flock, please report them immediately to the Ohio Poultry Association (614.882.6111), or the Ohio Department of Agriculture (regular business hours: 614.728.6220; after hours: 888.456.3405). |
If you are a commercial poultry producer, and suspect your flock may have HPAI you are asked to contact the Ohio Poultry Association. Those individuals with backyard flocks, including 4-H projects are directed to contact ODA.
Stay updated on HPAI.