01/05/2025
The U.S. Department of Agricultureās National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) has returned results from the Kent County, Del. poultry farm that was announced presumptive positive for H5 avian influenza on January 3, 2025. The poultry affected had highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza (HPAI) of the Eurasian lineage 2.3.4.4b with early indications that the virus is the D1.1 genotype found in wild birds; however, confirmation of the genotype is determined by sequencing. There is currently no timeline for the receipt of this data by the Delaware Department of Agriculture.
All poultry farms in the state should be monitoring flocks for any signs of increased mortality. Producers should pay particular attention to whether birds show signs of respiratory illness or distress, such as sneezing, gasping for air, coughing, and/or runny nose. Other signs of HPAI in poultry can include swelling around the eyes, neck, and headā purple discoloration of the wattles, combs, and legs; tremors, drooping wings, circling, twisting of the head and neck, or any combination; watery, green diarrhea; lack of energy, poor appetite; and a drop in egg production, or soft or thin-shelled, misshapen eggs.
Commercial poultry producers should follow the protocol of notifying the company they grow for when they see any signs of HPAI.
Backyard flock owners who notice any of the signs of HPAI or experience increased mortality in their flock should email the Delaware Poultry Health Hotline at [email protected] or call 302-698-4507 and provide your contact information, flock size, location, and concerns. Backyard flock owners will be contacted if a sample needs to be taken. Do not take dead or sick birds to a lab to be tested or move them off-site.
Backyard flock owners should keep their flock from commingling with wild birds and keep them under cover to protect them from coming into contact with infected wild bird droppings. The H5N1 virus has infected very few people and has not been documented to be transmitted between people. While continuing testing of people in close contact with animals infected with HPAI indicates a low risk to the general publicās health, backyard flock owners should keep birds in outdoor coops and not bring birds that have been living outside into the home.
To read the full press release, visit: https://tinyurl.com/3kesaud6
