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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)

White turkeys gathered

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases are on the rise with confirmed cases being found in wild waterfowl, backyard poultry, and commercial poultry flocks. HPAI is a rapidly fatal disease that can infect poultry such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, and geese.

Symptoms

Signs of HPAI in poultry can include:

  • sudden death without clinical symptoms;
  • lack of energy and appetite
  • incoordination;
  • diarrhea;
  • swelling or purple discoloration of head or legs;
  • nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing;
  • decreased egg production, or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs.

Transmission

Poultry get HPAI from infected waterfowl (ducks, geese) and gulls, which may frequent wetlands on farms.  Poultry raised outdoors or with outdoor access are at greater risk of HPAI. 

Infected poultry can spread the disease to new flocks through contact with birds, people, manure, and equipment.  HPAI viruses can exist in bird waste for several months, especially under high moisture and low temperature conditions. 

Prevention

  • Keep your pasture flock isolated from other poultry, wild birds, wildlife, and rodents. Don’t place the flock near a pond, creek, or lagoon where waterfowl might gather.
  • Keep feed bins covered and store feed in a place away from wildlife and birds.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water before and after any contact with live poultry.
  • Change clothes before entering poultry areas and before exiting the property.
  • Clean and disinfect tools or equipment when leaving the poultry facility.
  • Limit access of visitors. Provide disposable boot covers (preferred) and/or disinfectant footbaths for anyone having contact with your flock.
  • Look for signs of illness.
  • Call your veterinarian or Diagnostic Lab if you think your birds are sick.

Control

HPAI viruses can remain viable for several months in bird waste; therefore, it is important to treat all litter and organic material in addition to any carcasses.  Ideally, the birds should be moved as little possible: all litter and organic material should be composted with the birds.

In-house composting is preferred, because it is more biosecure.  On-site composting is the preferred method of disposal for several reasons:

  • the heat generated from composting deactivates the HPAI
  • the risk of potential for farm-to-farm disease transmission is minimized
  • on-site composting limits the risk of groundwater and air pollution contamination
  • creates a usable product.

More Information

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service provides up-to-date information on HPAI detection in the U.S.