UPDATE: AVIAN INFLUENZA IN MEXICO! Dr. Michael Hulet Associate Professor Poultry Science Avian Influenza (AI) is caused by a virus. Even though it is similar to the human influenza virus, AI only infects the avian species. Poultry producers learned more about avian influenza than many wanted to know in the 1983-1985 outbreak of AI in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Recently, highly pathogenic forms of AI have been isolated from flocks located over quite a large area in central Mexico. The disease has been affecting flocks in the Mexican states of Pueblo, Jalisco, and Queretaro. The disease has not entered into the U.S. However, the risk of its entry is great because of the many exchanges of workers between the U.S. and Mexico. Further, the path taken by many migrating water fowl and other wild birds, which are known carriers of AI, leads from central Mexico through many poultry producing states in the U.S. Therefore, the possibility of workers and others tracking the disease while traveling between the two areas is a major concern. The disease that is causing high mortality and egg production los ses in Mexico started as a low pathogenic (low mortality) strain of HSN2 and then mutated to a highly pathogenic (high mortality) disease epidemic, and in that sense is very similar to the 1983 situation Fransgard THE COMBI TEDDER/RAKE OF THE FUTURE 11.4000 11. 5000 11.6000 J 'I pi, I 'lll m/11 in Pennsylvania. Another isolation of a different strain of AI virus (H7N2) has been found in Utah, which is not thought to be related to the current outbreak in Mexico. The Utah outbreak is in turkey flocks and is considered to be sta bilized and under control through isolation and vaccination of flocks in the immediate vicinity of the infected flocks. Utah has many range flocks of turkeys and the dis ease was thought to have entered by migrating waterfowl that fed and watered with domestic turkeys. Periodically, other isolations of low pathogenic AI have been iso lated from birds in the live bird markets in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, and Philadelphia. Disease does not respect people or locations. It can cause a problem in your flock if you are not com pletely aware of the proper biose curity and management practices. Some of the clinical signs of AI found in commercial poultry are marked depression, ruffled feath ers, decreased feed consumption, decreased egg production, watery diarrhea, and respiratory distress. In high pathogenic AI cases, high mortality as well as cheesy exudate Working Wid 3’5” raking; 12’ to 572 Industrial Drive Lewisberry, PA 17339 Phone: 717-938-5100 Working Width 717-938-8769 3'5" raking; 12' tedding Working Width 6' to 20*6" raking; 15'3" tedding ,11 Herd Name Benjamin Stanton Pintail Point Farm Charles R Patterson idding - Distributed By - ,S. Wqodhouse Co.. Inc. I in the sinuses of turkeys and swell ings of the head and neck of chick ens are other diagnostic lesions. Because these same lesions are typical of other diseases, serologi cal tests and virus isolations are the main ways of obtaining a accurate diagnosis of the disease. Currently, most commercial poultry compa nies participate in an AI surveil lance program that samples eggs and blood from commercial flocks. The surveillance programs are to detect AI in our commercial flocks. It does not prevent AI, but if isolated it can be typed for poten tial pathogenecity. It will also help with determin ing the extent of spread amoung flocks. Delays in the detection of many types of AI that may not be showing symptoms or lesions can allow time for mutations and the risk of a more serious disease threat. This is what happened in Pennsylvania in 1983-1984 and is happening in Mexico. If you have any questions about the health status of your flock, con tact your service representative or qualified poultry health official, or have birds submitted directly to one of the three Pennsylvania diag nostic laboratories. Again, it is important to remem ber that the major routes of infec tion for AI are from migratory waterfowl and wild seabirds. Waterfowl have been shown to fcany the disease and can infect ponds or other water sources where the virus will remain viable for extended periods of time. The virus can then be spread by Maryland DHIA (Continued from Pago CS) Queen Annes County Herd Cows In Milk Avg Breed Herd T FCM T H 46 83.7 H 75 77.2 H 107 75.9 humans, domestic poultry, or any thing that comes in contact with the feces or contaminated water and then comes in contact with commercial poultry. The prevalence of ponds and migrating waterfowl in an area near commercial poultry facilities represents an increased risk that must be countered with increased vigilance and sanitation require ments. Poultry managers must maintain strict biosecurity and keep visitors or animals away from your buildings, especially if they might have come in contact with ponds, standing water, or migrat ory waterfowl. Educate employees to stay away from live-bird markets and flea markets that may sell poultry. If you sell birds to the live market, make sure the sanitation of trucks and coops are maintained at a high standard. Moving birds to coops at a loca- Report For April Donald W Skinner Boone Brothers U & WE Palmatary F&J Moore McFarland Donnie & Wayne Harry L Schrader & Sons Talbot County Herd Cows In Milk Avg Breed Herd T FCM T H 49 74.8 H 46 70.7 Herd Name Wm Bnnsfield Willis & Henry Snow Herd Name Curtis W Ausherman Roy J Byers Arthur Rhoderick Raymond D Divelbiss Jr E Andrew Stone Futuraland Farm Creek Bound Farm Marvin L Zimmerman Pryor Brothers Debaugh Farms Magna-Vista Farm Craig & Brenda Leggett Baker Farms Ralph W Shank BUY. SELL. TRADE OR BENT THROUGH THE PHONE: 717-626-1164 or 717-394-3047 FAX 717-733-6058 Mon., Tue»., Wed., Pri. 8 AM to 5 PM; Thun. 7 AM to 5 PM Iffil REAL ESTATE /£i\ LONG & FOSTER <*.t'K r .to ybm .vedilipc .tjnnnei wreii-jnij-iw Lancaster Arming, Saturday, May 20,1995-C9 tion off the farm instead of allow ing trucks and coops into your facilities where other birds are housed is recommended. Cleanup after load-out is completed is essential to prevent the possibility of disease spreading to other flocks. Employees should also be ques tioned and told of the potential risk and problems associated with waterfowl and the current disease outbreak in Mexico. Because the virus is maintained and carried by waterfowl, the likelihood of eradi cating the disease is not reasonable. However, it is possible to eradi cate the disease from your pre mises. If you do not make efforts to prevent the disease from entering your flocks, the expense of destroying birds, cleanup, down time, as well as isolation from other friends and family who have poultry flocks is the risk you take. Don’t gamble with AI. Washington County Herd Cows In Milk Avg Breed Herd T FCM T H 163 80.6 H 29 77.1 H 227 76.4 H 88 75.7 H 183 74.6 H 148 72.0 H 109 71.5 H 156 71.1 H 87 70.4 H 99 68.9 H 59 67.7 H 92 67.6 H 128 67.3 H 84 66.8 REALTORS® 21 ACRES UPDATED BRICK HOME irge updated bnck farmhouse 4BRs and I 5 -As, modem kit and BATHS Many recent 'dates, even new carpel Beautiful view of pond id stream from Victorian poich and 21 + acres, irge barn and many outbuildings Ready for small rm operation and great for 4H protects Set well 'theroad $284.900(3800Wl) Please call Clyde Wisner 410-239-3115 for appointment to see H 98 75.1 H 137 73.9 H 177 73.9 H 129 72.2 H 146 68.0 H 182 66.0
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