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FRANKFORT, Ky. — Owners of small backyard poultry flocks must be especially vigilant for avian influenza, State Veterinarian Robert C. Stout advises.
Anyone who sees signs of avian influenza in their flocks should contact their veterinarian and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture immediately.
Low-pathology avian influenza signs are typically mild. You may see lack of appetite, coughing and sneezing, or maybe decreased egg production. High-pathology signs are more severe. In addition to the low-pathology signs, you might see swelling or discoloration around the head, eyelids, combs and legs; diarrhea, or misshapen eggs. Sudden death may be the first visible sign.
Small operators should do whatever they can to keep their flocks away from wild and migratory birds, Dr. Stout said. They also should keep their birds away from water that may have been contaminated by wild and migratory birds. Farmers are advised not to bring birds from other farms or from live bird markets onto their farms.
Farmers should take steps to insure cleanliness in their operations and control who their birds come into contact with. You should keep buildings, equipment and vehicles clean and disinfected. Change clothes and shoes before and after working with birds, and provide clean clothes for employees. Don’t loan or borrow equipment from other farms.
Avian influenza is a virus that affects domestic poultry and some wild birds. It is spread largely through direct contact between infected and healthy birds. Contact with infected feces is the most common means of transmission.
Avian influenza strains generally can be classified as low-pathology or high-pathology. Most strains are of the low-pathology type. Some low-pathology strains can change into the high-pathology variety.
Historically, the risk to human health has been low. More than 100 people, mostly in Asia, have died of avian influenza since 1997, and the World Health Organization is concerned that the virus could change so it could spread from one person to another. According to WHO, "All evidence to date indicates that close contact with dead or sick birds is the principal source of human infection with the virus. The virus does not easily cross from birds to infect humans. Despite the infection of tens of millions of poultry over large geographical areas since mid-2003, fewer than 200 human cases have been laboratory confirmed." WHO states that most cases have occurred in households where small flocks of poultry are kept.
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is cooperating with other government agencies to prevent an outbreak of avian influenza in Kentucky. The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires that all imported birds be tested for the virus before they can enter the country. Since early last year, birds from countries where the high-pathology version has been confirmed have been banned entirely. For several years the KDA has worked closely with USDA and other agencies to better prepare Kentucky for the possibility of an avian influenza outbreak.
Dr. Stout said avian influenza has not been diagnosed in Kentucky.
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