Samples collected from a backyard poultry flock of chickens and ducks in Leavenworth County have returned a presumptive positive result for highly pathogenic avian influenza, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture.
The samples were tested at the National Veterinary Service Lab, KDA reported late Friday afternoon.
According to a spokesman, KDA will establish a control zone around the premise. This case is the second one involving Kansas. Earlier, Cherokee and Crawford counties in southeast Kansas had been placed under surveillance after a confirmed case of the H5N2 strain of avian influenza was found in Jasper County, Mo., near Asbury earlier in the week.
Avian influenza is a contagious, rapidly spreading viral disease affecting birds. Outbreaks of a strain of avian influenza have occurred in Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Idaho and are not considered to be a threat to public health or the food supply.
Dr. Bill Brown, state animal health commissioner, confirmed that a response team from KDA’s Division of Animal Health and from USDA is being dispatched to the area to conduct surveillance activities and to collect additional sample from flocks within the control zone. “It is important to know where backyard flocks of poultry exist. We will be seeking information about the presence of backyard flocks in Leavenworth County,” he stated.
Avian influenza exists naturally in many wild birds and can be transmitted by contact with infected animals or ingestion of infected food or water. CDC considers the risk to people from these HPAI H5 infections in wild birds, backyard flocks and commercial poultry, to be low. No human infections with the virus have been detected at this time.
“We are dedicated to providing the necessary assistance and precautions to avoid any possible spreading of the disease,” Brown said. Symptoms in poultry include coughing, sneezing, respiratory distress, decreased egg production and sudden death.
If you suspect your flock has contracted the disease, quarantine the affected animals immediately. Also, be sure to restrict traffic on and off your farm and thoroughly disinfect any material leaving the farm such as tires, equipment and clothing. No effective treatment for the disease has been found. Infected animals must be humanely destroyed and disposed of properly to prevent the disease from spreading.
Although vaccines are available, they are not commonly used because no vaccine covers all 15 strains of the disease. Prevention is the best way to combat Avian Influenza. Keep wild birds away from your home or farm, and stay informed about the health of neighboring animals.
Anyone with questions may contact the KDA Division of Animal Health at 785-564-6601 or visit www.agriculture.ks.gov/avianinfluenza.