By JOAN ASHLEY
Daily News-Reco
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BRANDYWINE, W.Va. — A local turkey farmer had to destroy about 25,000 birds Sunday after routine tests showed that some of the birds had been exposed to avian influenza, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Local agriculture officials confirmed on Monday that the flock came from a farm in Brandywine. Officials with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, however, are not releasing the name of the poultry business or its owner, citing privacy and biosecurity concerns.
"Even our own personnel are not going there," Buddy Davidson, communications director for the WVDA noted.
The department announced the finding Saturday, based on test results from the National Veterinary Services Laboratories and said poultry litter movement will be halted in five counties in West Virginia.
Had the exposure not been detected, the Virginia Turkey Growers Cooperative in Hinton, in western Rockingham County, would have processed the affected flock, according to co-op President Sonny Meyerhoeffer.
The Virginia Poultry Federation estimated that a similar strain of avian influenza in 2002 cost farmers $130 million on nearly 200 farms, including 136 farms in Rockingham County, and resulted in 4.7 million birds being destroyed.
No Signs Of Illness
West Virginia authorities stressed that the "confirmed case of H5N2 virus … is a low-pathogenic strain of avian influenza," according to Davidson.
"This is not a human disease and cannot be contracted by people," Davidson added.
The H5N2 can spread bird-to-bird through saliva, feces or inhalation of the germ or vapor, Davidson said.
The birds showed no sign of illness, but exposure to the disease was discovered during a "regular routine, preslaughter surveillance" that each flock undergoes before being taken to slaughter and processing, Davidson said.
The blood samples from some of the birds were pulled by service personnel for the Virginia Poultry Growers Cooperative, Davidson said.
John Clifford, chief veterinary officer of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said in a statement that the National Veterinary Service Laboratories will continue running "sequencing and pathogenicity tests" to validate the initial identification of the virus.
Additionally, all poultry operations within a six-mile radius of the affected farm will be closely monitored, Clifford said.
He noted that the type of bird flu detected Saturday is not the highly virulent form that has spread through birds in Asia, Europe and Africa.
Every indication, Clifford said, is that the virus "is consistent with low pathogenic strains," which are commonly found in birds and usually cause only minor ailments and few, if any, noticeable symptoms.
What’s Next?
West Virginia State Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglas plans to halt the movement of any poultry litter for at least 30 days within five counties, including Pendleton, Hardy, Grant, Hampshire and Mineral, Davidson reported.
"Everything will just have to sit there until we get a grip on this," he said.
Elaine Lidholm, director of communications for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, has been in close contact with West Virginia and U.S. agriculture authorities, as well as the Virginia Poultry Federation.
"[We’re in touch with] all the players that could potentially be involved in any avian disease outbreak," she said.
Involved in the Valley’s 2002 outbreak, Lidholm was pleased with the process that detected the exposure — and the response that followed.
"The really encouraging thing is that these birds were discovered before they ever left the farm as part of the routine preslaughter testing," she said. "When the birds tested positive, they were euthanized before leaving the farm and that really reduces the potential of spreading the disease."
Lidholm acknowledged that officials "can’t be 100 percent sure" it won’t spread.
"But today we have planned for it," she said, "and have procedures in place to contain and deal with it."
Source : http://www.dnronline.com/news_details.php?AID=9580&CHID=1
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