Bird flu found in Missouri commercial chicken farm
March 22, 2022Federal officials have confirmed the highly contagious avian influenza in a southeastern Missouri chicken flock.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory found presence of highly-pathogenic influenza (HPAI) in a commercial broiler chicken flock, state officials announced.
According to a news release, samples arrived at the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Missouri for testing after a sudden increase in chicken deaths at the commercial poultry flock. In separate testing, the National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the virus.
News of the infection came two days after a backyard flock of ducks and chickens in western Iowa had been found to have been infected, according to ABC News.
While HPAI is deadly for poultry, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said recent detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of avian influenza viruses connected to this outbreak have been detected in the U.S., state officials said.
“The Missouri Department of Agriculture is working closely with federal animal health officials to contain and eliminate the disease,” Agriculture Director Chris Chinn said. “Protecting the health and welfare of livestock and poultry is a top priority. We encourage both commercial and backyard poultry producers to tighten their biosecurity protocols to help stop the spread of the virus.”
The Missouri Department of Agriculture has quarantined the affected premises, which is located in Stoddard County.
“Avian influenza does not present a food safety risk,” Chinn said. “Poultry and eggs are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly.”
HPAI is transmittable between poultry via bodily fluids, from contact with wild birds, or even via contact from caretakers with the virus on their clothing.
This article was originally posted on Bird flu found in Missouri commercial chicken farm
