2022 Outbreak Of Highly Pathogenic Bird Flu

If cases of COVID virus weren’t enough to strain an already hard-hit U.S, now a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is hitting local (non-poultry) birds, according to CBS News. 

According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu as it is also commonly known, have been reported in Michigan and Delaware. These cases within the U.S have also been confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

The Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) at the department recently confirmed the presence of HPAI in a non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, and in a commercial poultry flock in New Castle County, Delaware.

“Since the start of 2022, multiple states, including Maine, New York, Virginia, and South Carolina, have detected the virus. According to the Indiana Board of Animal Health, in Indiana, more than 150,000 birds have been affected by the virus. Prior to the 2022 outbreak, the last time a case was reported in the U.S. was in 2016.” 

Now, in 2022, U.S. citizens are still encouraged to eat “properly handled and cooked poultry”, with it deemed safe. Fortunately for the country, no human cases have been reported as yet.

A Joint Incident Response

Now, the department’s inspection service is working hand in hand with Delaware and Michigan animal health officials. USDA officials in both Michigan and Deleware have quarantined both affected premises. As an added responsibility, the affected birds will be “depopulated” in efforts to further prevent the disease from spreading. With the depopulation of the infected birds, the virus will not find its way into the food system. 

APHIS reports, “As part of existing avian influenza response plans, Federal and State partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flock. The United States has the strongest Artificial Intelligence surveillance program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets, and in migratory wild bird populations.”

More Information on Bird Flu

While much is known about bird flu and common awareness around the world is present, some may not know that many different strains of the bird flu virus exist. These include H5N1, H7N9, H5N6, H5N8. These four strains have caused concern for the public, some strains do not infect individuals. 

As the National Health Service (NHS) states, “Although H5N1, H7N9, and H5N6 don’t infect people easily and aren’t usually spread from human to human, several people have been infected around the world, leading to a number of deaths.”

High Contagion Among Birds, but Not Humans

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), when birds come into contact with the “saliva, nasal secretions or feces” of an infected bird they can become infected. This seems to be a frequent occasion as the flu is considered to be “very contagious among birds”. Not only is it contagious, but this virus has the has the potential to kill certain domesticated species including turkeys and chickens. 

Not an Immediate Threat to the Public, Yet

The virus does not pose an immediate threat to the public, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With the birds not making their way into the food systems and those involved with poultry production encouraged to review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds, this immediate threat is not posed to the public. 

When it comes to bird flu, human cases of avian viruses are rare. While CDC have stated that some cases have been reported, if humans follow the following recommendations, spread among humans can be reduced.  

• Individuals should protect their eyes, nose, and mouth from the virus to avoid the virus from getting into their body parts. 
• Individuals should cook poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Individuals should handle eggs and poultry in the correct way
• According to NHS, avoid touching infected birds, touching their droppings and bedding and preparing infected poultry for cooking
• According to NHS, individuals should wash their hands often with warm water and soap, especially before and after handling food, in particular, raw poultry
• According to NHS, individuals should use different utensils for cooked and raw meat
• If an individual is infected and shows symptoms which range from conjunctivitis, fever, diarrhea and vomiting to severe respiratory illness and neurological changes, they must seek help and treatment from a doctor. Symptoms usually take three to five days to appear after an individual has become been infected. Symptoms can lead to severe complications including pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
• Individuals should avoid consuming raw eggs 
• Avoid buying live chickens and other poultry from markets that sell live birds which may be infected
• As CDC recommends, avoid close contact with friends and family members who have been exposed to avian influenza and are showing symptoms.  
• Avoid unprotected contact with infected surfaces that have been contaminated with the bird flu virus

While there is a COVID vaccine, no bird flu vaccine exists to protect individuals against infection. It is important to note that the seasonal flu vaccine does not protect individuals against bird flu. However, as CDC states, “[The seasonal flu vaccine] can reduce the risk of co-infection with human and avian influenza A viruses”. For this reason, individuals should follow the recommendations noted above.

Along with individual efforts, APHIS further provides calmness on the matter, “USDA also continues to communicate with trading partners to encourage adherence to [Industry] standards and minimize trade impacts. With this, as well as individual efforts, the spread of the virus should be contained.

Recommendations for Bird and Poultry Owners

In addition to practicing good biosecurity, APHIS states, “All bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials. APHIS urges producers to consider bringing birds indoors when possible to further prevent exposures. “ 

Bird and poultry owners should also, as recommended by CDC, “Make use of appropriate personal protective equipment and [pay] careful attention to hand hygiene.” Then, they should also conduct routine monitoring for avian influenza among their bird and poultry livestock. 

More information will be provided as the story unfolds and more news is released.