BIRD FLU # AVIAN INFLUENZA.

Avian influenza still trending in certain countries like Ghana,United kingdom,United states,Israel,Taiwan, China and Nigeria.The infections in most countries are of various strain with varied virulence.The outbreaks have been controlled by depopulation of birds in affected farms,fumigation of affected poultry,quarantine of 3km radius for farms in vicinity of affected sites. Farmers are advised to report cases of bird flu to necessary authority.The common signs of bird flu are sudden death,swollen wattles and combs,purplish shanks,ruffled feathers and inappetence. The cases with low virulence normally show ruffled feathers,soft shelled eggs and decrease/absence of egg laying.The virus has been linked to migratory birds and wet waterlogged areas such as areas close to rivers,lakes e.t.c. bio security protocol must be strictly adhered to, the sequence of isolation/quarantine and disinfection must be the rule of thumb in the poultry.The common disinfectants recommended in cases of outbreaks are virkon and virocid,these have been tested and proven to kill the avian influenza virus.

BIRD FLU.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza has been reported in Canada,backyard poultry in Oregon(U.S.A) ,some parts of Europe and India. The cases has involved humans aside waterfowl, crow and the chicken.The strains identified varies with the countries affected but majorly the H5 variants has been identified. BIO-SECURITY measures should be strictly complied with,and monitoring/surveillance should also be emphasized.The importation of poultry products at this time should be avoided,day old chicks,dressed poultry from such affected countries should be prohibited. The bird flu saga is still so fresh in our memory,lets hype up our BIO-SECURITY MEASURES AND BE ALERT. The is gradually coming to an end and the outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus is trending according to a report in THE POULTRY SITE.COM: 2014 Ends with Bird Flu Fears As we approach the holiday season, highly pathogenic (high-path) avian flu outbreaks in poultry and other birds are much in the news across North America, Europe and Asia. In the last week, India has confirmed that the virus affecting waterfowl in Chandigarh is the high-path H5N1 type. While several cases in people in the area are suspected, none has yet been confirmed. Suspicious deaths of wild crows in the state of Haryana are also under investigation. A new outbreak of avian flu of an H5 subtype has been reported in a village poultry flock in central VietNam. This is thought to be the H5N1 variant. Canada has now reported a total of 11 outbreaks with the high-path H5N2 virus in commercial poultry and one in a backyard flock, all in the same region of the province of British Columbia. THE United States has reported its first outbreak of high-path H5N8 avian flu a backyard poultry flock in Oregon, while the H5N2 virus has been detected in wild ducks in Washington state, close to the border with Canada. Following a new outbreak of H5N8 highly pathogenic avian influenza at a duck farm in Germany in the state of Lower Saxony, the federal agriculture ministry has ordered a veterinary inspection of all ducks and geese before transportation. In mid-December, there was an outbreak of high-path avian influenza of the H5N8 subtype in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy but there have been no further cases since then.