Avian influenza found in Louisiana backyard flock; producers urged to take precautions
For immediate release: December 16, 2024
Testing has confirmed a case of avian influenza in a backyard flock in Bossier Parish, Louisiana. The backyard flock owner alerted the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry of increased mortality in the backyard flock. Following an investigation by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) and the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry).
Positive test results were confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Service Laboratory in Ames, Iowa. Preliminary testing was performed at the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine which is a member of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) . This is the first case of HPAI in domestic birds in Louisiana during this outbreak, which began in February 2022. The birds on the affected farm have been depopulated to prevent the spread of disease.
Avian influenza does not affect poultry meat or egg products, which remain safe to eat when handled and cooked properly.
“The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry has worked closely with animal health officials at both the federal and state levels and have successfully contained this incident of avian influenza,” LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM, said. “Fortunately, there are no reports of disease among our commercial poultry industry to date. Protecting the health of livestock and poultry in Louisiana is a top priority, and we will continue to treat this outbreak with the appropriate level of care and attention.”
Avian influenza is an airborne respiratory virus that spreads easily among chickens through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. The virus can be spread in various ways from flock to flock, including by wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, by equipment, and on the clothing and shoes of caretakers.
Anyone involved with poultry production, from the small backyard to the large commercial producer, should review their biosecurity activities to ensure the health of their birds. Visit APHIS’ Defend the Flock Resource Center for materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit.
At a minimum, poultry flock owners should follow the biosecurity steps on their farms to prevent the spread of the disease. Those steps include:
Limit, monitor, and record any movement of people, vehicles, or animals on or off your farm.
Permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm to limit the chances of bringing the virus from an outside source.
Avoid visiting other poultry farms and any unnecessary travel off the farm.
Disinfect equipment, vehicles, footwear, and other items that come into contact with flocks.
Keep your flock away from wild or migratory birds, especially waterfowl.
Isolate any ill animals and contact your veterinarian.
In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. Louisiana bird owners should report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to state and federal officials through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593. In Louisiana, poultry owners can report to the USDA number or directly to the LDAF Diagnostic Lab at 1-318-927-3441.
Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found at http://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov .
Additional background Avian influenza (AI) is caused by an influenza type A virus that can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) and is carried by free-flying waterfowl and wild birds, such as ducks, geese, raptors, and shorebirds. AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9). Many different combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible. Each combination is considered a different subtype and can be further broken down into different strains which circulate within flyways/geographic regions. AI viruses are further classified by their pathogenicity (low or high)—the ability of a particular virus strain to produce disease in domestic poultry.
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USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Backyard Non-Poultry Flock in Louisiana