AI outbreak in Indiana eradicated

11-02-2016 | | |
AI outbreak in Indiana eradicated
AI outbreak in Indiana eradicated

The ‘pop-up’ H7N8 outbreak in the US state of Indiana has been contained and eradicated, the Indiana Board of Animal Health and the USDA-APHIS have confirmed.

10 farms were affected, with only 1 commercial turkey farm yielding highly pathogenic H7N8.  A total of 258,000 turkeys were depleted and 156,000 non-infected but in-contact egg producing hens were also destroyed.

Mutating avian influenza virus

“It appears that there was a low pathogenic virus circulating in the poultry population in this area, and that virus likely mutated into a highly pathogenic virus in one flock,” said Dr John Clifford, USDA chief veterinarian. “Through cooperative industry, state and federal efforts, we were able to quickly identify and isolate the highly pathogenic case, and depopulate that flock.”

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Also interesting: AI & antibiotic ban; what’s next for US poultry?

Disinfection mats and hand sanitisers were a somewhat odd welcome at the recent IPPE in Atlanta. No live poultry to protect here, but it did bring the message home loud and clear to many visitors. The US poultry sector has a lot on its plate at the moment, between the AI outbreaks and the impending antibiotic ban.

Turkey carcasses are undergoing in-house composting and the commercial layers were transported to a land fill. Serological monitoring will continue within the 10 km controlled area and the additional 10 km surveillance zone.

State and Federal officials visited 1,945 residences in the 10 km control area and identified 105 backyard flocks which were monitored for the presence of AI without demonstrating any evidence of infection.

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Shane
Simon Shane Consultant Poultry Veterinarian