Avian flu in local lower mainland waterfowl

[guest]

Are there any Biologists or those in the know if this local out break of AVIAN FLU passes on to our water fowl like ducks and geese.

Its one one thing to cook it well but what about handling it and processing our Wild Birds

thanks CT

[yamadirt 426]

if you havent heard anything yet i wouldnt worry about it. So far im fine , well as far as the avian flu goes. No waterfowler i know has said anything

[Fella]

Well my cousin takes care of several Turkey and chicken barns and he's had to give up waterfowling for the time being until the outbreak is over....from what he's told me, and from what my Mother in law (CFIA inspector) tells me, as long as you're washing your hands and cooking the bird properly there's no danger to a human.

[dmaxtech]

I've heard speculation from some in the poulty farming way of life that the original infection may have come from waterfoul. No one knows for sure and no way to track down an infected duck that is only a carrier, not actually sick.

[boilerroom]

Here's some info: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm

Wild birds carry the flu, though most don't show symptoms. Domestic birds most likely catch it from wild birds and are more susceptible to getting "sick" or dying.

[Monashee]

i strongly suspect avian flu is always there wherever you have concentrated populations of birds in tight quarters , defecating where they live 24 hrs a day , all their lives ... birds evolved to fly and roam around ...

Canada is probably one of a handful of countries that actually enforces the rules about avian flu or mad cow disease for that matter. Most other countries just look around to see if anyone is watching and call the sick animals ok , it's all about money

[nano]

I have been trying to get ahold of some inspectors and offers them some of my ducks so they can us wiggle testing purposes, but it's been a no go.

[Crazy_Farmer]

Detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses H5N2 and H5N8 in Wild Birds of the United States


To: Natural Resource/Conservation Managers


From: Dr. Jonathan Sleeman, Center Director, USGS National Wildlife Health Center Date: December 16, 2014


This Bulletin provides information on the current situation regarding the recent detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) H5N2 and H5N8 in wild and captive birds in the United States. Following reports of recent outbreaks of HPAIV in poultry in British Columbia, Canada, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife together with the USGS National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) and the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Wildlife Services investigated a waterfowl mortality event on Wiser Lake in Whatcom County, Washington adjacent to the affected area in Canada. Mortality of a captive gyrfalcon that had recently been fed waterfowl meat from the area was also investigated. Gross examinations and microbiological culture analyses of the waterfowl carcasses indicated aspergillosis in several of the birds. In addition, virology analyses conducted in collaboration with the USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the presence of HPAIV H5 avian influenza in two of the birds.
Two separate virus strains were identified: HPAIV H5N2 in a wild northern pintail duck (Anas acuta) and HPAIV H5N8 in a captive gyrfalcon ( ) that was fed wild waterfowl from this site. B
Wild bird species known to be infected with HPAIV H5N8 and a timeline of major HPAIV H5N8 events during 2014 are summarized in Tables 1 and 2, respectively.
Table 1. Wild birds known to be infected with HPAIV H5N8 during 2014.
Falco rusticolus
oth viruses
have been determined to have an amino acid sequence at the hemagglutinin cleavage site consistent with HPAIV.
Preliminary data suggest that these virus strains (H5N2 and H5N8) may be related to an HPAIV H5N8 previously
known to have circulated during 2014 among wild birds and poultry (chickens and ducks) in Asia and Western
Europe.
The novel H5N2 and H5N8 detections in the United
States that are described in this Bulletin only involve free-ranging and captive wild birds, and further investigation
and characterization of the HPAIVs is ongoing. Neither of these viruses has been found in commercial poultry
anywhere in the United States.