What the 2022 bird flu outbreak means for Wisconsin poultry
A flu virus that's deadly to birds and easily spreads among them has poultry producers in Wisconsin on high alert. An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in spring 2022 is the most serious in North America in seven years.
While it poses a minimal threat to human health, the virus can wipe out backyard chicken flocks and massive poultry operations alike. Moreover, with food prices already climbing due to higher energy prices and pandemic-related supply chain difficulties, this bird flu outbreak carries the potential to raise the prices of poultry and eggs even further.
Here's what to know about the outbreak and its impact on Wisconsin.
What is the strain behind the outbreak?
There are a number of influenza viruses that can infect and sicken various species of animals, including birds, pigs and humans. The virus spreading among wild birds and poultry farms around North America in spring 2022 is a Type A avian influenza labeled H5N1.
The H5N1 subtype primarily infects and sickens birds. It differs from another common avian flu subtype in its ability to severely sicken and kill large numbers of birds. As such, the highly pathogenic subtype poses a major risk for poultry and egg producers.
Where did the outbreak originate?
The H5N1 virus currently spreading in North America previously spread globally among wild birds, causing occasional outbreaks in poultry operations around the world.
The virus has quickly spread among birds across North America since its first detection on the continent in December 2021. As of April 13, the virus had been identified among wild birds, backyard poultry flocks or commercial operations in nine Canadian provinces and 35 states, including Wisconsin, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The virus's spread has accelerated northward with the spring migration of many North American bird species, explained Ron Kean, a poultry specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension.
Where has the virus been found in Wisconsin?
The H5N1 bird flu has been found among wild birds, in backyard chicken flocks and at multiple poultry operations across Wisconsin in spring 2022.
The virus was first confirmed in the state on March 14 in an enormous egg farm in Jefferson County that housed more than 2.7 million laying hens. In its announcement of the virus's confirmation, the Wisconsin Department of Trade, Agriculture and Consumer Protection noted it was the first detection of H5N1 in Wisconsin since the massive North American bird flu outbreak in 2015.
Read more: https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/what-the-2022-bird-flu-outbreak-means-for-wisconsin-poultry/