“Wing Rap” by Dr. Teresa Morishita

Question: We are extremely concerned with avian influenza and worry about our flock of chickens getting infected. What should we do?

Answer: As we look at the geographical spread of avian influenza throughout the global community, we need to realize that its presence on our North American continent is most likely to occur in the future. Hence, it is important that we understand some basic facts about avian influenza. Avian influenza is caused by the avian influenza virus which is a type A influenza virus. The avian influenza virus primarily affects poultry. However, the current avian influenza strain we are concerned about is classified as subtype H5N1 and has been known to be transmitted to humans from infected birds. The name of this virus subtype is based on the types of proteins found on its surface. The “H” stands for hemagglutinin and there are 16 different hemagglutinin types. The “N” stands for neuramidase and there are 9 different neuramidase types. Hence, H5N1 has the 5th type of 16 potential types of “H” proteins and the 1st type of 9 potential types of the “N” protein on its surface. It appears that wild birds and the legal and/or illegal transporting of infected birds or their by-products have lead to the spread of avian influenza to different geographical regions.

One of the ways we can protect our flocks is by minimizing the risks of exposing our flocks to these sources of avian influenza. To minimize exposure to wild birds that can serve as a reservoir of avian influenza, it would be recommended that we avoid activities that would allow contact between our poultry flocks and wild birds. Such action could include moving and housing birds indoors; removing bird feeders that may attract wild birds; and draining ponds that may attract wild waterfowl.

In addition, we may also want to minimize the risk of exposing our birds to birds of unknown histories or sources. This would mean reducing exposure of our birds to other birds at such activities as shows, and/or from obtaining birds from shows, auctions, or markets and to subsequently add these birds to our flocks. Hence, these are just some of the actions we may want to take to help prevent avian influenza from entering our poultry flocks once avian influenza is reported on the North American continent.




Teresa Y. Morishita, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACPV is a Professor and Extension Poultry Veterinarian in the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. She is a board-certified poultry veterinarian and is also the Director of the Avian Disease Investigation Laboratory at The Ohio State University. She welcomes your questions and invites you to contact her at the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University, 1920 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210 or contact her through this website at www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/poultry/