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Avian Influenza
Biosecurity guidelines for commercial AND backyard flocks
Mohamed El-Gazzar, DVM, MAM, PhD, DACPV
Assistant Professor and Poultry Extension Veterinarian
Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine
College of Veterinary Medicine
The Ohio State University
There has been recent detection of multiple avian influenza viruses
into North America (Canada and United States). These viruses are
apparently spread by migratory birds. These influenza viruses have been
detected in captive birds, backyard poultry and commercial poultry
flocks in 20 different states and provinces in USA and Canada. This
situation is UNPRECEDENTED in the history of North America.
These viruses appear to be related to an influenza virus that has been
circulating in Asia and Europe throughout 2014. This group of influenza
viruses is highly pathogenic to birds, making them severely sick and in
many cases inducing high mortality in birds up to 90%. However, they
seem to represent a low risk for human infection, so poultry and
poultry products are safe to consume when they are properly handled and
cooked.
While surveillance and diagnosis are essential tools to detect the
virus and limit the infection and eventually control the outbreak, it’s
the BIOSECURITY efforts that will prevent the infection from reaching
your flock, whether it is commercial or noncommercial. Biosecurity is
the sound sanitary practices that are used to stop the infectious agent
from reaching the host. But before understanding biosecurity and the
logic behind it, one must understand the dynamics of disease
transmission. Most infectious diseases in bird populations can be
transmitted by two main ways:
1. Direct transmission, which means the infectious agents are
transmitted through direct physical contact between infected
individuals and uninfected susceptible individuals.
2. Indirect transmission, which means the infectious agents are
transmitted through indirect transportation vehicles to reach the
susceptible individuals. In case of diseases that affect birds
including avian influenza, the indirect transportation vehicles include:
Human
Domestic animals including pets
Wild animals including varmints and rodents
Physical objects including equipment
Feed
Water
Environments including shared pastures and water ponds.
Accordingly, biosecurity practices are divided into:
1. Practices that aim to prevent direct transmission.
Avoid contact between your flock and other birds, wild, domestic or
otherwise.
Prevent your birds from mixing with other poultry or wild birds.
Mixing of birds often happens around open water bodies and in open
pasture.
Whenever possible prevent mixing between species within the same
flock, and between multiple ages within the same species.
Try to acquire birds from National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)
disease free sources.
If you bring new birds to your flock, quarantine the new birds for a
week before mixing with the rest of the flock.
If you show birds, attend fairs or perform any activity where birds
from different places come together in one place, quarantine the birds
for a week before mixing back with the rest of the flock.
2. Practices that aim to prevent indirect transmission.
It is highly recommended NOT to bring any visitors to your bird
flock. They could be carriers of diseases on their cloths, their shoes,
on their hands or any objects they bring with them.
It’s recommended to have specific cloths and shoes dedicated to
working with your birds.
Additionally, using disposable coveralls, gloves and shoe covers are
highly recommended.
Wash your hands before and after handling your birds, or their feed
or their water.
Wash your hands before and after handling any equipment, bedding
material housing material on any object that comes in contact with the
birds.
Foot paths and hand sanitizing stations should be in place and used
every time the poultry house is entered or exited.
Don’t bring your pets or allow them access to your birds.
It is essential to house the birds in animal proof/bird proof houses.
It is very important to have effective rodent control program.
Rodents are notorious for transmitting not only human disease but also
poultry diseases.
Equipment, bedding material housing material on any object that comes
in contact with the birds should be thoroughly cleaned and properly
disinfected before using with your birds.
Acquire you feed from trusted sources and properly store the feed in
dry, cool and clean place, shielded form access by other birds and
animals particularly rodents.
Drinking water for birds should be the same quality as drinking water
for human. Surface water from rivers, ponds or puddles is particularly
dangerous as it often contains infectious disease agents from migratory
wild birds.
These practices should be adopted by anyone who owns, grows or handles
poultry.
This Link is updated daily for all the latest
detections in the USA.
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