Published on: April 17, 2024
ATTENTION BEACH WALKERS!
If you encounter a lifeless hen whereas walking or amassing trash on the seaside, you need to first notify your town’s Animal Control Officer for subsequent steps. You ought to by no means try and get rid of a hen carcass with out sporting disposable gloves, a face masks, and eye safety. Following secure assortment with acceptable private protecting tools, the carcass needs to be double-bagged previous to placement in a daily rubbish receptacle.
Please learn the data beneath to be taught extra about Avian Bird Flu.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), generally often called ‘bird flu’ was first discovered on Cape Cod at first of February 2022, just a little greater than two years in the past. While the illness does NOT pose an instantaneous well being menace to individuals, it does unfold simply amongst wild and home birds, together with poultry.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is Bird Flu?
Bird Flu is a illness attributable to sure Type A flu viruses that often spreads between birds, NOT individuals. Some of those viruses could cause severe sickness and loss of life in home poultry together with rooster, geese, and turkeys. Avian influenza A viruses have been remoted from greater than 100 completely different species of untamed birds all over the world. These viruses happen naturally amongst wild aquatic birds and shorebirds (geese, geese, swans, gulls, terns, storks, plovers, and sandpipers) worldwide and may infect home poultry and different hen and animal species.
Wild birds could be contaminated with avian flu viruses with out getting sick. However, they will shed avian influenza viruses of their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible domesticated birds develop into contaminated once they have contact with the virus as it’s shed by contaminated birds.
Can individuals get hen flu?
People not often get hen flu, however once they do, it’s most frequently by extended unprotected contact (failure to make use of gloves, eye safety, or a facemask/respirator) with contaminated birds. People can develop into contaminated by respiratory the virus in droplets within the air or presumably mud, or by touching surfaces contaminated with contaminated hen mucous, saliva, or feces after which touching their eyes, nostril, or mouth. Most hen flu infections in individuals have occurred after shut, extended, unprotected contact with contaminated birds or contaminated surfaces. No human hen flu infections have been reported from correct dealing with of poultry meat or from consuming properly cooked poultry or poultry products.
Overall, the danger to the general public from hen flu outbreaks is low; nonetheless, as a result of hen flu viruses have been identified to contaminate individuals sporadically (once more, individuals who had been identified to have prologued, unprotected publicity to contaminated birds), it’s attainable that human infections with these viruses may happen. It is vital to notice there was no identified human-to-human unfold of hen flu.
CDC Infographic: How Infected Backyard Poultry Could Spread Bird Flu to People
I’ve a yard poultry flock. Should I be involved about hen flu? What are signs to observe for?
You needs to be vigilant about defending your flock, and/or any home avian pets, from hen flu.
Bird flu can have an effect on wild or domesticated birds. Most poultry, together with chickens, turkeys, guinea
fowl, and recreation birds like pheasants will die inside days of publicity; wild and home geese
and another species could be contaminated with out ever showing sick. Domestic poultry are uncovered to hen flu by contact with contaminated birds, their droppings, or feathers. Pastures, yards, ponds, and
tools simply develop into contaminated with the virus. Humans can expose home birds to an infection by use of contaminated tools, clothes and footwear, and car tires.
Infected poultry, and presumably pet birds, could present a number of of the next indicators:
- Sudden loss of life with no prior indicators
- Low power or urge for food
- Purple discoloration or swelling of assorted physique elements
- Reduced egg manufacturing, or soft-shelled/misshapen eggs
- Nasal discharge, coughing, or sneezing
- Lack of coordination
- Diarrhea
If you develop any of those indicators or signs in the course of the 10-days after your publicity to an contaminated or doubtlessly contaminated animal, name the MA Dept. of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, Division of Epidemiology and Immunization at (617) 983-6800. The on-call epidemiologist is available throughout regular business hours for emergencies and to reply questions relating to case investigation and implementation of management measures. If testing is advisable, isolate as a lot as attainable till check outcomes come again and/or you could have recovered out of your sickness.
Mass.gov Infographic: Protecting your Backyard Flock
Information from the American Veterinary Medical Association: Avian Influenza in Pets and Backyard Flocks
How do I report sick or lifeless poultry in my flock?
Immediately name the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Animal Health Division at (617) 626-1795. You may submit the next poultry illness reporting type on-line: Poultry Disease Reporting Form | Mass.gov.
My pet discovered a lifeless hen and carried it of their mouth. Could they develop into contaminated with hen flu? Could they infect me or my household?
Although hen flu viruses primarily infect and unfold amongst wild migratory water birds and home poultry, some hen flu viruses can infect and unfold to different animals as nicely. Bird flu viruses have prior to now been identified to generally infect mammals that eat (presumably contaminated) birds or poultry, together with however not restricted to wild animals, reminiscent of seals, bears, foxes, skunks; farmed mink; stray or home animals, reminiscent of cats and dogs; and zoo animals, reminiscent of tigers and leopards.
If your home animals (e.g., cats or dogs) go outdoors and will doubtlessly eat or be uncovered to sick or lifeless birds contaminated with hen flu viruses, or an setting contaminated with hen flu virus, they might develop into contaminated with hen flu. While it’s unlikely that you’d get sick with hen flu by direct contact along with your contaminated pet, it’s attainable.
For extra data go to: Bird Flu in Pets and Other Animals | Avian Influenza (Flu) (cdc.gov)
What ought to I do if I think I’ll have been uncovered to hen flu? What are the indicators and signs of hen flu in people?
People who’ve had direct contact with contaminated or doubtlessly contaminated animals, together with sick animals which may have eaten hen flu-infected birds, ought to monitor their well being for fever and signs of an infection.
Signs and Symptoms could embody:
- Fever (Temperature of 100°F [37.8°C] or larger) or feeling feverish/chills*
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Difficulty respiratory/Shortness of breath
- Conjunctivitis (eye tearing, redness, irritation, or discharge from eye)
- Headaches
- Runny or stuffy nostril
- Muscle or physique aches
- Diarrhea
*Fever could not at all times be current.
If you develop any of those indicators or signs in the course of the 10-days after your publicity to an contaminated or doubtlessly contaminated animal, name the Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences Division of Epidemiology at (617) 983-6800. The on-call epidemiologist is available throughout regular business hours for emergencies and to reply questions relating to case investigation and implementation of management measures. Discuss your potential publicity and ask about testing. If testing is advisable, isolate as a lot as attainable till check outcomes come again and/or you could have recovered out of your sickness.
I discovered a SICK/INJURED wild hen on Cape Cod. Who ought to I contact?
Cape Wildlife Center is a veterinary hospital in Barnstable that gives rehabilitative care to sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals. Call for instant help and wildlife emergencies: (508) 362-0111. Admissions hours are between 10:00 AM and three:00 PM every day. Afterhours emergency line: (617) 835-6845.
Wild Care, Inc. is a wildlife rehabilitation heart in Eastham that treats injured, in poor health, and orphaned wildlife for launch: If you discover an animal in misery, name: (508) 240-2255. Wild Care, Inc. is open every day from 9:00 AM to five:00 PM
I discovered a DEAD wild hen on Cape Cod. Who ought to I contact?
MassWildlife is amassing data on wild birds to observe attainable outbreaks of Avian Influenza. They are significantly taken with sick/lifeless seabirds washing up alongside coastal areas. Please click on the next hyperlink to finish a web-based type and embody a photograph if attainable: Report observations of dead wild birds | Mass.gov.
PLEASE NOTE: An individual lifeless wild hen doesn’t typically require testing or removing. However, removing/disposal of lifeless birds from the setting is an effective apply to assist cut back environmental contamination and potential publicity to different birds and mammals. No single entity is liable for the removing/disposal of lifeless birds; it’s depending on the municipality and the landowner.
For details about find out how to safely get rid of a lifeless hen or animal, please go to: Found a Dead Wild Bird? Here’s What To Do Next (usda.gov).
Key Takeaways
- While hen flu does NOT pose an instantaneous well being menace to individuals, it does unfold simply amongst wild and home birds, together with poultry.
- Overall, the danger to the general public from hen flu outbreaks is low; nonetheless, hen flu viruses have been identified to contaminate individuals sporadically following shut, extended, unprotected contact with contaminated birds or contaminated surfaces.
- No human hen flu infections have been reported from correct dealing with of poultry meat or from consuming properly cooked poultry or poultry products.
- Backyard poultry CAN develop into contaminated with hen flu by publicity to contaminated wild animals or surfaces contaminated by contaminated wild animals. If you believe you studied one in all your birds has hen flu or has died from changing into contaminated with hen flu, instantly name the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, Animal Health Division at (617) 626-1795.
- Keep your pets away from lifeless birds and animals to forestall publicity.
- Never deal with a lifeless hen or animal with our taking appropriate precautions.
Additional Resources and Information
Avian Influenza, March 2024 | Mass.gov
Information on Bird Flu | Avian Influenza (Flu) (cdc.gov)
Avian Influenza in Birds | Avian Influenza (Flu) (cdc.gov)
Bird Flu Virus Infections in Humans | Avian Influenza (Flu) (cdc.gov)
Prevention and Antiviral Treatment of Bird Flu Viruses in People | Avian Influenza (Flu) (cdc.gov)
Department of Homeland Security | Ask the Expert: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Viruses
Infographics
Emergence and Evolution of H5N1 Bird Flu
Massachusetts Dept. of Agricultural Resources | Biosecurity: Protecting Your Backyard Flock
