WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 2015 - Although the
last detection of the highly
pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the U.S.
was almost five months ago, USDA officials remain on watch for a potential
winter wave of the deadly bird virus.
Last December, the first instance of
HPAI was detected in a flock of 130 birds in Douglas County, Oregon. Within six
months, the disease had resulted
in the deaths of more than 48 million chickens and turkeys. USDA’s Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) spent over $801 million in efforts to
deal with the emergency and in indemnity payments to producers. The disease
initially was spread by wild waterfowl on migratory patterns headed North,
leading officials to worry that those same type of birds could spread the
disease again as they head South for the winter.
In an interview with Agri-Pulse, John Clifford, APHIS’ deputy
administrator for veterinary services, said he’s hoping the disease won’t
return, but he pointed out that in the recent outbreak, HPAI wasn’t detected
until December last year.
“We all hope for the best and prepare
for the worst, but it’s too early in my opinion to say one way or the other” if
the disease will return, he said. Surveillance of migratory birds continues,
but Clifford said no cases of the disease have been detected since June with
the exception of one “resident bird” in Utah in July. In October, a test of just
over 750 ducks shot in Minnesota, where almost 9 million birds were killed this
past spring, saw traces of the low pathogenic strain of the disease – which is
not unusual – but no HPAI infections were detected.
Clifford thinks APHIS is “very well
prepared” for a potential outbreak in the coming months. Since the last
outbreak, APHIS has hired about 200 people and trained them in surveillance and
early response procedures. The agency has also updated protocols to try to
ensure infected facilities are depopulated within 24 hours of disease
confirmation, and staged equipment in optimal places.
“We’re ready if we have to react,”
Clifford said.
Clifford said APHIS has also
streamlined the process for indemnifying producers, but noted that there is
still some work to do on calculating payments.
APHIS hopes to add up to 500 million
doses of HPAI vaccines
to the National Veterinary Stockpile, but Clifford – mindful that some
countries restrict imports of poultry meat from vaccinated birds -- said those
vaccines would only be used “in very limited conditions.” Two vaccines have
been approved to help prevent illness in birds, but APHIS has not decided whether
or not to OK the vaccines use. In the event that it does, the state where the
vaccine is being applied would also have to approve its use.
#30
For more news, go to: www.Agri-Pulse.com
