Avian influenza is caused by an influenza type A virus which can infect poultry (such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese, and guinea fowl) and wild birds (especially waterfowl).

Bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans.

As part of the USDA highly pathogenic avian influenza response plan, infected birds do not enter the food supply. All poultry products for public consumption are inspected for signs of disease both before and after slaughter.

Avian influenza can be spread in two main ways: directly from infected birds or contaminated environments or indirectly through an intermediate host.

HPAI poses a substantial economic risk to the poultry and agriculture industries in Arkansas.

Low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus strains occur naturally in wild migratory waterfowl without causing illness. LPAI can infect domestic poultry, creating little or no signs of illness. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus strains are extremely infectious, often fatal to chickens, and can spread rapidly from flock-to-flock.

Signs of avian influenza can include:

• Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs
• Decreased water and feed intake
• Lack of energy
• Decrease in egg production
• Soft, thin-shelled, or misshapen eggs
• Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks
• Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
• Gasping for air (difficulty breathing)
• Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose)
• Stumbling or falling down
• Diarrhea

Poultry owners should monitor their flocks and report any possible symptoms to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture at 501-823-1746.

If the virus is confirmed in your flock, all affected and exposed flocks must be depopulated.

Because there are no treatments or vaccines available to control avian influenza, it is important for poultry owners to monitor their flocks and increase biosecurity measures. Some tips to follow to keep your flock safe include:

• Clean: Wash your hands, change or clean your shoes, and disinfect any equipment before and after entering your flock area. Avian influenza virus can survive in manure for several weeks, especially with high moisture and low temperatures.
• Cover: Restrict flocks from sharing their habitat with wild waterfowl by maintaining outdoor enclosures with roofs or tarps and wire mesh or netted sides. Repair any holes or tears that would allow wild birds or rodents to enter.
• Isolate: Keep track of everyone who comes onto your property at all times by using a logbook. If they had contact with other poultry, have pet birds, or had contact with wild birds (e.g., hunting), do not let them come into contact with your flock. Consider hanging a bird deterrent near the poultry houses to keep away wild birds that may infect your flock. Quarantine new birds for at least two weeks before introducing to your flock.

Increased biosecurity is the best defense against avian influenza. If you are a poultry owner, increase biosecurity at your operation or in your backyard flock. Keep visitors to a minimum, clean or disinfect your shoes before entering and after exiting your flock area, and cover your flocks with roofs or tarps to avoid exposure to wildlife.

Initial avian influenza screening tests are performed by one of more than 45 USDA-approved laboratories in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). In the case of wild bird samples, the United States Department of the Interior National Wildlife Health Center also performs initial screening tests. These labs will determine if the avian influenza virus is present and whether it is an H5 or H7 subtype. Because of the potential for H5 or H7 subtypes to mutate into highly pathogenic strains, those samples are forwarded to USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) for confirmatory tests, with research assistance from USDA's Southeast Poultry Research Lab.

This USDA laboratory in Ames, Iowa, is the only avian influenza reference laboratory in the United States recognized by the World Organization for Animal Health, known as the OIE. Although there is a network of laboratories across the nation approved to conduct avian influenza screening tests, confirmatory testing in the United States is conducted at NVSL.

Read more about the testing process here.