Avian Flu Confirmed in South Carolina – Threat to Poultry Industry

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in a wild American wigeon in Colleton County, South Carolina, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced late last week.

This is the first time the virus, Eurasian H5 HPAI, has been detected in a wild bird in the United States since 2016. There was a case of HPAI (H7N3) in one commercial meat turkey flock in South Carolina in 2020 due to a North American lineage virus, according to APHIS.

APHIS advised anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer to review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. The agency said it has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/….

In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to state or federal officials, either through their state veterinarian or through USDA's toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593, APHIS said in its news release.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

Avian Flu is no stranger to U.S. poultry producers. Severe outbreaks in the past have devastated flocks in various regions of the country and cost producers billions of dollars. To make matters worse, this particular strain is very contagious, thus, capable of spreading like wildfire. We will keep our eyes on this development and report any news of it spreading. The economic impact on poultry producers in your area could be significant if this gets out of control.