News Photo by Zipporah Abarca
A red-winged black bird perches itself on an indication at Duck Park in Alpena as the breeze gains ground.
ALPENA — As of June 28, the United States has actually had more than 58 million poultry impacted by extremely pathogenic bird influenza (HPAI) throughout 47 states.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all 50 states have actually discovered the illness in 7,105 wild birds.
As the problem grows, the United States Department of Agriculture has actually reported the start of vaccine trials for extremely pathogenic bird influenza since May 1.
The department says there are presently 4 vaccines for the bird influenza, however none apply to the extremely pathogenic pressure.
The USDA started checking the 4 vaccines in April with single-dose trials in efforts to establish a brand-new vaccine for HPAI. Results from these trials were anticipated to be available in May, in addition to a two-dose vaccine research study with lead to June. However, there have actually been no main reports from the USDA yet.
The CDC reported about 20 million H5N1 avian influenza vaccines available in the U.S. National Strategic Stockpile as of June 20, and 12 million of the H7N9 Asian lineage avian vaccines.
Two days later, the USDA announced its $502 million funding towards the Animal Health Protection Act to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to assist in detections of HPAI in the U.S.
Additionally, within the month of June, the CDC confirmed that annual flu shots are unlikely to protect people during avian influenza pandemics.
As of April 28, 2022, the CDC has gathered that only one person has contracted the bird flu within the U.S. The organization says this does not change how low the risk is of people getting the disease.
HPAI is likely to have actually come from wild birds and poultry operations that have also been shown to affect mammals that have preyed on infected birds such as mountain lions and coyotes, according to the CDC.
According to NPR of Kansas City article, if a vaccine for HPAI is developed and effective, this could create more issues. This means it could become difficult to detect symptoms of the disease among vaccinated poultry in the case they’re sick. Deaths would become less likely, but the disease would still be prevalent.
NPR also notes some challenges with detecting the bird flu within vaccinated birds by noting how other countries may refuse U.S. poultry due to the injected vaccines.
President and CEO of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Export Council Greg Tyler says 20% of broiler chickens produced in the U.S. are exported. Therefore, nearly $6.2 billion worth of poultry exports would be lost.
Besides the potential of losing money, NPR says the U.S. could also experience some other costly challenges. By not being able to detect the disease within birds, it would be necessary to put forth financing for testing and surveillance.
Jada Thompson, an economist at the University of Arkansas, says U.S. consumers should expect to pay more for chicken, turkey or eggs if poultry were to be vaccinated.
NPR notes that USDA officials say if a vaccine was developed, it would just be used in areas the illness was rapidly spreading. Additionally, if the detection of the disease remains low, the USDA is less most likely to be as invested in a vaccine.
Nevertheless, it still poses a potential threat to banning poultry exports. That is why the National Chicken Council is against the vaccine, according to NPR.
The USDA’s vaccination trials should finish in August. NPR says a vaccine might perhaps be available within 18-24 months.
This story was produced as part of the Michigan News Group Internship. Zipporah Abarca is working for WCMU this summertime at The Alpena News.
