[Nhcoll-l] H5N2 found in wild duck in MOntana

[Ellen Paul]

NOTICE: USDA Detects Eurasian lineage H5 Avian Influenza in a Wild 
Mallard Duck in Montana
01/09/2017

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant 
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has detected the presence of 
Eurasian/North American reassortant H5N2 avian influenza in a wild 
mallard duck in Fergus County, Montana. No illness or mortalities in 
domestic poultry in the U.S. have been detected.

The sample, taken from a hunter-harvested bird through routine 
surveillance, was tested at the Colorado State University Veterinary 
Diagnostic Laboratory and forwarded to USDA’s National Veterinary 
Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. Characterization of the sample is 
ongoing.

“This appears to be one of the strains we saw during the outbreak in 
2014 and 2015,” said Dr. Jack Shere, USDA’s Chief Veterinarian. “This 
finding serves as a powerful reminder that there is still HPAI 
circulating in wild birds, and producers and industry need to continue 
to be vigilant about biosecurity to protect domestic poultry.”

Wild migratory waterfowl are a natural reservoir for avian influenza, 
and these viruses can travel in wild birds without them appearing sick. 
People should avoid contact with sick/dead poultry or wildlife. If 
contact occurs, wash your hands with soap and water and change clothing 
before having any contact with healthy domestic poultry and birds.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk 
to the general public from these H5 High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) 
infections to be low.  No human infections have occurred in the United 
States. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and 
eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses, 
including HPAI.

The United States has the strongest avian influenza (AI) surveillance 
program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively 
look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets 
and in migratory wild bird populations.

Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the 
large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to 
assure the health of their birds. To facilitate such a review, a 
biosecurity self-assessment can be found at 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.uspoultry.org_animal-5Fhusbandry_intro.cfm&d=CwIDaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=AFI38JtSqUIM57wiilgxHVeRpcvVRU_-KJLwFi547jw&s=tOoFhh70Hjy7EBuuNaOJe-ylfrOg3pmgPsAyn9CnbQk&e=  
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USDA recently launched Defend the Flock, a new educational campaign that 
provides commercial poultry owners and growers, as well as the poultry 
industry and federal/state/local animal health officials, resources to 
help ensure that the best biosecurity practices are used to protect 
commercial flocks from infectious disease.Defend the Flock information 
can be found at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.aphis.usda.gov_animalhealth_defendtheflock&d=CwIDaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=AFI38JtSqUIM57wiilgxHVeRpcvVRU_-KJLwFi547jw&s=1VWPHnOGy9b_3j-gcPBwtP-m3iiiqZn9wW15M8RtrC4&e=  
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Hunters should dress game birds in the field whenever possible and 
practice good biosecurity to prevent any potential disease spread.  
Biosecurity information is available at: 
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.aphis.usda.gov_publications_animal-5Fhealth_2015_fsc-5Fhpai-5Fhunters.pdf&d=CwIDaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=AFI38JtSqUIM57wiilgxHVeRpcvVRU_-KJLwFi547jw&s=GIvALLa8TdZL9R2TT71ZdUEhOJL3JLl-woieHijGZ4k&e=  
<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__lnks.gd_l_eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJlbWFpbCI6ImVsbGVuLnBhdWxAdmVyaXpvbi5uZXQiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoiMTA0Iiwic3Vic2NyaWJlcl9pZCI6Ijk0MTQyMDgxIiwibGlua19pZCI6Ijk5MDU2MTQxIiwidXJpIjoiYnAyOmRpZ2VzdCIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFwaGlzLnVzZGEuZ292L3B1YmxpY2F0aW9ucy9hbmltYWxfaGVhbHRoLzIwMTUvZnNjX2hwYWlfaHVudGVycy5wZGYiLCJidWxsZXRpbl9pZCI6IjIwMTcwMTA5LjY4NTI2MDcxIn0.TZVCBudl8w-5FR1wLiY6gJ8NmJ3aC4-5FnT8uD63tzJ9mjM&d=CwIDaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=AFI38JtSqUIM57wiilgxHVeRpcvVRU_-KJLwFi547jw&s=rEA1UF_yrnEZ6Nx1LKigRAnC-H1rQTjr3P5wGSYwXPw&e= >. 
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/Federal officials, either through their 
state veterinarian or through USDA’s toll-free number at 
1-866-536-7593.Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks 
can be found at https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov&d=CwIDaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=AFI38JtSqUIM57wiilgxHVeRpcvVRU_-KJLwFi547jw&s=dUfzIdbOkGQ45JVa0UO9I1PFGi3BSAfvqamZg-IBAjo&e=  
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*Additional Background*

AI is caused by an influenza type A virus which can infect poultry (such 
as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese and guinea 
fowl) and is carried by free flying waterfowl such as ducks, geese and 
shorebirds. AI viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of 
proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), 
and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9). Many 
different combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible. Each 
combination is considered a different subtype, and can be further broken 
down into different strains. AI viruses are further classified by their 
pathogenicity (low or high)—the ability of a particular virus strain to 
produce disease in domestic chickens.


-- 
Ellen Paul

Ellen Paul

Executive Director

Ornithological Council <https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.nmnh.si.edu_BIRDNET&d=CwIDaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=AFI38JtSqUIM57wiilgxHVeRpcvVRU_-KJLwFi547jw&s=nRd2P1qRxhAYYGdq6-Xe07S2-2ilrgz4rAqF9g4A7ec&e= >
Providing Scientific Information about Birds