WattAgNet: Low pathogenic avian flu in Missouri turkey flock

Written May 3, 2016 By Roy Graber
Flock of 39,000 turkeys has been depopulated after presence of H5N1 is detected.

A commercial turkey flock in Jasper County, Missouri, has been euthanized after low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was detected at the farm.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) confirmed the presence of the virus, which was of North American wild bird lineage, on April 30, according to a statement from MDA spokesperson Sarah Alsager.

The discovery was then reported to World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), which published a report concerning the case on May 2. According to OIE, MDA and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) were conducting routine pre-slaughter surveillance of seemingly healthy turkeys and samples collected from the flock showed the presence of the low pathogenic form of the virus.

All 39,000 turkeys in the flock were euthanized.

Other control measures taken include quarantine, movement control , zoning, and surveillance within the containment and/or protection zone.

All carcasses, byproducts and waste will be disposed of, and disinfection procedures will take place.

Alsager said that all commercial flocks within a 10-kilometer radius of the affected flock have tested negative for avian influenza, and that additional surveying and testing in the nearby area continues.

First H5N1 case in 2016
The Missouri case marks the second outbreak of avian influenza in the United States in 2016, but the first known case of H5N1 this year. In January, ten cases of avian influenza were reported in Dubois County, Indiana. One case was highly pathogenic H7N8 avian influenza, eight cases were low pathogenic avian influenza, and the exact serotype of the tenth case was not determined. All cases were at commercial turkey farms.

Indiana state officials earlier this week announced that each of the affected sites had completed 90 days without the presence of avian flu and that all related quarantines had been lifted.

OIE stated it will submit weekly follow-up reports on the Missouri avian influenza situation until it is considered resolved.