Alabama poultry farmers track avian flu outbreak

Alabama's poultry farmers are watching extend of a dangerous strain of avian influenza that is sweeping the West and Midwest, which has led to millions of turkeys and chickens being euthanized to prevent its extend.

Poultry participates $15 billion annually in state economy and produce more than 86,000 jobs, according to the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association. The H5N2 virus has already stroke the poultry industries in California, Missouri, Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin Kansas, Minnesota and Washington, according to the USDA and media reports.About 3.8 million laying hens have to be euthanized because the virus was found in an Osceola County, Iowa, facility.Avian influenza is obviously occurring; spread by migratory waterfowl, said Dr. Tony Frazier, the state veterinarian.

"What is very essential for the general public to realize is that poultry farming in Alabama is safe and you are free to enjoy poultry farming in Alabama," he told. "And it is very rare for avian influenza to effect people. What makes this outbreak of avian influenza extraordinary is the highest mortality ratio, we are seeing. We haven't seen an epidemic as this in this country in a long time.

"This damage seems to influence turkeys more than chickens. It is very fast reacting; birds showing symptoms expire within 48 hours."

Alabama's poultry industry is located in North Alabama, where mainly of the farms and processing plants are situated. Southeast Alabama, from Barbour County during Henry and Houston County has found a growth in poultry farming over the last several years.

The best policy is for farmers to be watchful in their bio-security, said Huck Carroll, communications director for the poultry farming and egg association.The most universal way for avian influenza to reach is through contact with the feces of effected birds, according to the Centers for infection Control and Prevention's website."You in fact cannot prevent a wild bird from flying wherever it wishes to go," Frazier said. "The better news is there has been slight or almost no spread farm to farm of the infection in those areas where there have been outbreaks. Therefore it seems like the plan to manage the virus is working."

Alabama Poultry

• Poultry farming produces $15 billion annually revenue and generates more than 86,000 jobs.

• Alabama ranked 4th in the country on the whole poultry and egg production in 2014.

• In 2014, there were 172.95 million broilers chickens produced in Alabama, the 2nd highest in the country 

Human infections

Although avian influenza A viruses generally do not effect humans, exceptional cases of human infection with these viruses have been registered. The majority human infections with this harmful virus have reported after close or direct contact with effected poultry. A ranged from soft to severe cough, fever, sore throat and muscle aches requiring hospitalization in Illness .

Outbreaks in North America

• In 2004: H5N2, An outbreak of HPAI virus was seemed in a farm of 7,000 chickens in south central Texas. This was the 1st outbreak of HPAI in the US in last 20 years, and no transfer of the virus to human body was reported. 

• In 2004: an outbreak of avian influenza A (H7N3) in poultry in the Fraser Valley region of British Columbia declared by The Canadian Food Inspection Agency. To prevent the spread of the virus infection, Culling measures and other operations were performed in prevention. Health Canada reported 2 cases of laboratory confirmed influenza A (H7). Both patients infected eye infection and mild illness. Around 10 other poultry workers showed symptoms after having contact with poultry.

• In 2003: A case of avian influenza A virus infection was reported in an adult male in New York, who was hospitalized for respiratory tract illness.

• In 2002: A person involved with culling actions effect influenza like illness when a little pathogenic avian influenza A (H7N2) outbreak reported between turkeys and chickens farms in Virginia. No human to human transmission was reported and the infected person made a complete recovery.