avian influenza

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   NEWS RELEASE
Texas Animal Health Commission
Box l2966 �Austin, Texas 78711 � (800) 550-8242� FAX (512) 719-0719
Bob Hillman, DVM   �  Executive Director
For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242, ext. 710, 
or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us
For Immediate ReleaseFriday, February 20, 2004 

Poultry Disease Detected in Gonzales County;
Poses No Threat to Humans or Food

Texas animal health officials on Friday, February 20, received laboratory confirmation that a flock of chickens in Gonzales County is positive for avian influenza (AI), a contagious viral respiratory infection of poultry and birds.  The officials stress that there is no danger to humans or food from the strain of AI that was confirmed in the flock.  The flock is quarantined, and state and federal animal health regulatory personnel are working to contain and eliminate the infection and determine how the disease may have been introduced.  

�AI, like many other viruses, can present itself in many forms, or strains. The AI strain from the Gonzales County flock is H5N2. The signs of the disease in chickens, indicates this virus is a low-pathogenic strain, meaning it poses no health threat to humans and causes relatively low mortality in chickens.  There is no danger in consuming eggs or poultry meat, and that is the most important point,� said  Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas� state veterinarian and executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC).  The TAHC is  the state�s regulatory agency for livestock and poultry health. �Whenever AI is detected, we take action, in order to stop the spread of disease, ensure the health of other flocks, and protect our ability to trade poultry products with other countries without any added flock health restrictions.�  

�The AI strain affecting the Gonzales County flock is not the same as the highly-pathogenic (or deadly to bird) strain which has spread this winter to more than 10 Asian countries and sickened about 50 persons who live with or handle live sick birds and poultry,� said Dr. Hillman.  �There are many, many strains of AI, all of which have varying degrees of ability to cause illness in birds.  It is rare for any AI strain to cause illness in humans, even to those persons who handle live, sick birds.�

In recent weeks, two other strains of low pathogenic AI have been detected in the United States; the H7N2 strain was found in two flocks in Delaware and four of the 35 live chicken markets in northern New Jersey.  The low-pathogenic H2N2 strain was detected in a Pennsylvania flock.  In Delaware, more than 226 farms have been tested, with no additional infection detected.

�At present, there does not appear to be any connection between the cases on the East Coast and the infected flock in Texas,� said Dr. Hillman.  �Currently, we have a team from the TAHC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducting disease investigations and tests to determine if other Texas flocks in the area may have been affected, and to find the source of the disease in the infected flock.�  He explained that the on-site team has several regulatory veterinarians and about a dozen animal health inspectors from the TAHC and Texas� office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

�Good biosecurity practices serve as a barrier against the spread of disease.  We are urging  poultry and bird owners to ensure they take precautions to prevent the accidental introduction of AI onto a premise.  AI virus can be killed easily with a commercial disinfectant or with a solution of three parts bleach and two parts water,� Dr. Hillman urged.  �Typically, AI is transmitted from a sick chicken or bird to a healthy one by respiratory discharge.  However, the virus can be passed in bird manure, which can be picked up on boots, shoes, equipment or tires. To avoid the possibility of �tracking in� viruses to your farm,  keep a pair of boots or shoes to wear only on your own premise, or disinfect your footwear before entering the farm.�

Boots should be scrubbed with a long-handled brush to scrape off manure, mud or debris, and the bleach or disinfectant will kill viruses, bacteria and parasites  �Tires and equipment should also be disinfected before entering  a farm where birds or poultry are housed,� he pointed out.  �This is particularly important if items have been on or used at another farm where poultry are kept.�

�Poultry owners should expect their visitors to follow biosecurity rules, too,� said Dr. Hillman.  �Insist that visitors disinfect their footwearor better yet, provide them with disposable shoe covers, or footwear worn only on your place.  If visitors don�t want their vehicle tires sprayed with disinfectant, ask them to park outside your gate, or outside the perimeter of the farm.. Right now, because we know there is an infected flock in Texas, we need to work cooperatively to prevent the potential spread of disease

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peafowlareus Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 25�January�2003 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 65	Post Options Post Reply Quote peafowlareus Report Post Quote Reply Topic: avian influenza Posted: 21�February�2004 at 9:40am
	NEWS RELEASE Texas Animal Health Commission Box l2966 �Austin, Texas 78711 � (800) 550-8242� FAX (512) 719-0719 Bob Hillman, DVM � Executive Director For info, contact Carla Everett, information officer, at 1-800-550-8242, ext. 710, or ceverett@tahc.state.tx.us For Immediate ReleaseFriday, February 20, 2004 Poultry Disease Detected in Gonzales County; Poses No Threat to Humans or Food Texas animal health officials on Friday, February 20, received laboratory confirmation that a flock of chickens in Gonzales County is positive for avian influenza (AI), a contagious viral respiratory infection of poultry and birds. The officials stress that there is no danger to humans or food from the strain of AI that was confirmed in the flock. The flock is quarantined, and state and federal animal health regulatory personnel are working to contain and eliminate the infection and determine how the disease may have been introduced. �AI, like many other viruses, can present itself in many forms, or strains. The AI strain from the Gonzales County flock is H5N2. The signs of the disease in chickens, indicates this virus is a low-pathogenic strain, meaning it poses no health threat to humans and causes relatively low mortality in chickens. There is no danger in consuming eggs or poultry meat, and that is the most important point,� said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas� state veterinarian and executive director of the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC). The TAHC is the state�s regulatory agency for livestock and poultry health. �Whenever AI is detected, we take action, in order to stop the spread of disease, ensure the health of other flocks, and protect our ability to trade poultry products with other countries without any added flock health restrictions.� �The AI strain affecting the Gonzales County flock is not the same as the highly-pathogenic (or deadly to bird) strain which has spread this winter to more than 10 Asian countries and sickened about 50 persons who live with or handle live sick birds and poultry,� said Dr. Hillman. �There are many, many strains of AI, all of which have varying degrees of ability to cause illness in birds. It is rare for any AI strain to cause illness in humans, even to those persons who handle live, sick birds.� In recent weeks, two other strains of low pathogenic AI have been detected in the United States; the H7N2 strain was found in two flocks in Delaware and four of the 35 live chicken markets in northern New Jersey. The low-pathogenic H2N2 strain was detected in a Pennsylvania flock. In Delaware, more than 226 farms have been tested, with no additional infection detected. �At present, there does not appear to be any connection between the cases on the East Coast and the infected flock in Texas,� said Dr. Hillman. �Currently, we have a team from the TAHC and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducting disease investigations and tests to determine if other Texas flocks in the area may have been affected, and to find the source of the disease in the infected flock.� He explained that the on-site team has several regulatory veterinarians and about a dozen animal health inspectors from the TAHC and Texas� office of the U.S. Department of Agriculture �Good biosecurity practices serve as a barrier against the spread of disease. We are urging poultry and bird owners to ensure they take precautions to prevent the accidental introduction of AI onto a premise. AI virus can be killed easily with a commercial disinfectant or with a solution of three parts bleach and two parts water,� Dr. Hillman urged. �Typically, AI is transmitted from a sick chicken or bird to a healthy one by respiratory discharge. However, the virus can be passed in bird manure, which can be picked up on boots, shoes, equipment or tires. To avoid the possibility of �tracking in� viruses to your farm, keep a pair of boots or shoes to wear only on your own premise, or disinfect your footwear before entering the farm.� Boots should be scrubbed with a long-handled brush to scrape off manure, mud or debris, and the bleach or disinfectant will kill viruses, bacteria and parasites �Tires and equipment should also be disinfected before entering a farm where birds or poultry are housed,� he pointed out. �This is particularly important if items have been on or used at another farm where poultry are kept.� �Poultry owners should expect their visitors to follow biosecurity rules, too,� said Dr. Hillman. �Insist that visitors disinfect their footwearor better yet, provide them with disposable shoe covers, or footwear worn only on your place. If visitors don�t want their vehicle tires sprayed with disinfectant, ask them to park outside your gate, or outside the perimeter of the farm.. Right now, because we know there is an infected flock in Texas, we need to work cooperatively to prevent the potential spread of disease

peafowlareus Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 25�January�2003 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 65	Post Options Post Reply Quote peafowlareus Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 23�February�2004 at 8:40am
	have just received this information regarding the spread of avian influenza into New Jersey. Please encourage owners to practice good biosecurity and report any unusual illness or death losses in flocks. Carla Avian flu found at four New Jersey live chicken markets By Associated Press 2/12/2004 9:09:00 AM TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- A strain of bird flu has been found at four live chicken markets in northern New Jersey, just days after outbreaks at two farms in Delaware led to the destruction of thousands of birds. New Jersey health officials stressed that the findings are not unusual for the state's live poultry markets and said the strain is not known to be harmful to humans. Nancy Halpern, the state veterinarian, said the markets likely got the virus from one of the many farms and distributors who supply them. New Jersey has about 35 live chicken markets across the state. "We believe the virus is coming to (the markets)," Halpern told The Star-Ledger of Newark in a story published Thursday. "They can be doing everything right and still have a market that tests positive." Halpern said the state tested the markets in late January, as it typically does every winter, and results have been received for about half the sites. She would not identify the markets where the strain was found. Markets found to be infected are instructed to sell off all birds, and then clean and sanitize all cages and equipment before reopening. Officials said the strain found in New Jersey is the same one found at two farms in Delaware since last week. The strain is not related to the virulent variety of avian influenza that is blamed for the deaths of at least 19 people in Vietnam and Thailand. Clifton Lacy, commissioner of the state Department of Health and Senior Services, said there was only a small chance that the weak strain could mutate into a stronger form that could harm humans. "The key (to preventing problems) is stringent sanitary measures on farms and culling the flocks," he said. In Delaware, the disease was found last week on a farm in Kent County operated by an independent grower who sold to a live bird market in New York City. Then on Tuesday, Delaware agriculture officials announced that tests confirmed avian flu on a second farm, saying it was a surprise that creates a "serious situation" for the region's poultry industry. Even before the announcement about the second flock, China on Tuesday joined Poland, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea in banning U.S. poultry imports because of the previous discovery. Hong Kong had banned the import of live birds and poultry from Delaware only. Russia also temporarily banned Delaware imports. Exports account for about 20 percent of the U.S. poultry industry.

birdlady Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 30�September�2003 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 66	Post Options Post Reply Quote birdlady Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 26�February�2004 at 8:09pm
	I just wanted to say thanks for the information on avian influenza I am glad that you are posting this type of information on this forum.

fffurball Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 19�January�2004 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 152	Post Options Post Reply Quote fffurball Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 11�November�2006 at 4:47pm
	Yes, indeed, the info. is terrific..... However, it is a bit frustrating when a county medical bureau refuses to test for Avian Flu simply because it has not been reported in a particular state or area....yes...this did happen to me this past October...Thank goodness it wasn't Avian Flu (I hope!!!) pj
	pj-Yosemite, California... Never play leap-frog with a Unicorn!