Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed for the first time in Alaska, prompting the need for poultry owners to take steps to protect their flocks, says state veterinarian Dr. Robert Gerlach.
The announcement on Aug. 26 from the Department of Environmental Conservation came after the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N2 in a mallard duck.
Wild bird samples collected by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game during a live bird banding at a waterfowl refuge in Fairbanks included the positive sample.
“This is the first case of a highly pathogenic strain that has been found in Alaska and the first identification when the birds were moving back to the Lower 48,” Gerlach said. “They are just starting to migrate back down.”
Hunters harvesting waterfowl are advised to use the normal recommended procedures for safe handling and cleaning of game. Hands and tools should be cleaned with soap and water or other cleaners and all birds cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before eating.
Although dogs can get a canine influenza there is no evidence that dogs are able to catch strains of avian flu, state officials said.
Avian influenza virus has not been identified in domestic birds in Alaska to date, but wild waterfowl are known carriers of the low pathogenic avian flu virus and are commonly targeted for surveillance.
During the live bird banding in Fairbanks, ADF&G swabbed the mouth and vent of some of the birds to check their health status. The virus is generally found in dabbling ducks, like pintails and mallards, who are generally by the edge of the water, dipping their heads underwater, with tails up.
“This finding of HPAI in wild birds underscores the need for poultry owners to review their flock plans and take steps to reduce the risk of introducing avian influenza to their birds,” Gerlach said. Flock owners should monitor their birds, report illnesses and keep the birds safe from exposure, he said.
“This is not a public health threat; more of a concern for pet birds and poultry,” he said. “Almost any bird can get the virus, and it can be deadly for them.”
The genetic analysis of the virus most recently confirmed shows what the virus is a mixture of Eurasian and North American viruses and is 99 percent similar to the HPAI virus found in Washington State in the winter of 2014 and the outbreak in the Midwest in 2015.
Since the initial outbreak of HPAI in Asia and Europe in 2005, the state veterinarian’s office in Alaska has established surveillance testing for backyard poultry farms and at agricultural fairs and has also conducted outreach efforts to emphasize the need for protesting humans and animals against avian influenza and other diseases.
Gerlach’s office will continue poultry surveillance testing at the state’s agricultural fairs and will be working with partners to investigate any reports of sick birds.
Wild bird surveillance scheduled for Alaska will be expanded in an attempt to determine other areas of the state that may have affected waterfowl.
Since wild birds from Alaska migrate south to all major flyways across North America, the USDA will be informing Canadian and Mexican authorities and increase surveillance efforts in the lower 48 states.
More information on avian flu is online at http://tinyurl.com/dec-hpai-factsheet
For more information on biosecurity for birds, visit: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian-influenza-disease/birdbiosecurity.
