Des Moines Register
03/18/06
Getting ready for the bird flu
Iowa leads fight to protect poultry industry
ANNE FITZGERALD
REGISTER AGRIBUSINESS WRITER
Iowa has this in its favor in the looming global battle against avian influenza: The
state has few lakes to attract waterfowl, carriers of the deadly strain of the bird flu
virus spreading across Asia and parts of Europe.
The Asian H5N1 strain of bird flu that has killed poultry and humans in other
parts of the world has not been detected in the United States, but industry and
government officials are taking no chances.
Iowa has been a leader in preparing for a possible outbreak.
Two and a half years ago, the Iowa Turkey Federation and the Iowa Poultry
Associated launched a mandatory monitoring system. In addition, the industry
has collaborated with Iowa's state veterinarian and Iowa State University
Extension's poultry veterinarian to develop an emergency poultry disease
plan.
The plan spells out what steps would be taken in case of an outbreak.
Veterinarians, producers and health officials have received training in how to
prevent an outbreak, as well as how to respond if the deadly flu occurs in Iowa.
"I think our industry is as prepared as humanly possible," said Gretta Irwin,
executive director of the Iowa Turkey Federation in Ames. "Our number one goal
is to keep it from affecting humans, as well as birds."
Industry and health experts believe the state is protected in part because most
poultry production is done indoors.
Still, the economic stakes are high for Iowa, which is the nation's No. 1 eggproducing and processing state, with a population of more than 50 million laying
hens.
Iowa also raises about 8 million turkeys annually and is the fifth-largest turkey
processing state. Each turkey generates about $11 in economic activity, Irwin
said.
Poultry consumption has taken a dive in countries where H5N1 avian flu has
occurred. In addition, those countries have cut imports of U.S. corn and
soybeans, Iowa's two top crops.
Industry officials stress that poultry is safe to consume.
"Influenza is not something that consumers need to be scared of by eating
poultry products," Irwin said.
Facts and figures
Concern: There are many strains of avian influenza. Highly pathogenic strains
can kill domestic poultry.
At risk: Chickens, turkeys and other poultry, and human health.
Incubation period: One to seven days.
Overseas: Two years ago in Southeast Asia, 23 people died and more than 100
million birds died or were culled because of an outbreak of the H5N1 strain. Last
year, new outbreaks spread to Europe, killing both birds and humans.
In the United States: A 1983-84 outbreak of a highly pathogenic strain in the
Northeast cost the government $65 million. Some 17 million birds had to be
killed, resulting in a 30 percent increase in retail egg prices.
Q & A: Darrell Trampel
Darrell Trampel is an Iowa State University Extension poultry veterinarian
and poultry diagnostician. A diplomat of the American College of Veterinary
Pathologists, he is an expert in poultry diseases and poultry management who
has worked at Iowa State since 1983.
Trampel has taught a class on avian disease to more than 1,000 veterinary
medicine students. He has also helped develop Iowa's avian influenza
surveillance program. If the disease were detected in Iowa, Trampel would be
among the first to respond veterinarians, and he would be responsible for
conducting postmortem examinations on affected birds, as well as confirming the
diagnosis.
Here are some questions about bird flu posed to Trampel, along with portions of
his e-mailed responses:
Q. What's at stake for the United States and Iowa's poultry industry if, or
when, the influenza reaches here? A. It would be economically disastrous for
the poultry industry in any state. Financial losses accrue from the death of large
numbers of birds and costs of cleanup and disinfection.
Q. Has the spread of bird flu overseas affected poultry-related research and
commerce here?
A. Consumption of poultry meat and eggs has declined precipitously around the
globe during the last three months. Poultry meat exports from the United States,
Brazil, and other poultry-exporting countries have fallen markedly as demand for
poultry meat in other parts of the world has been reduced. Also, Asian countries
with reduced poultry production have less need for U.S. grain.
It has been estimated that the bird flu in Asia, Africa and Europe is costing the
U.S. poultry industry approximately $88 million per month. Iowa's poultry industry
and grain producers will share in the financial loss associated with less foreign
and domestic demand for our products.
It should be noted that Iowa is not a high risk state. We do not have an
abundance of lakes to attract waterfowl. In many instances, the initial outbreak of
avian influenza results from exposure to virus from wild waterfowl. Migratory
waterfowl (especially ducks) and shorebirds are reservoirs of avian influenza
virus. Most infections in wild birds are inapparent, with no obvious signs of
disease. Avian influenza viruses are excreted primarily through the feces and
may survive 30-35 days at 4 degrees Centigrade. Nasal secretions transmit the
virus to a lesser degree. Virus from feces or nasal secretions can contaminate
feed, water, equipment, cages, or clothing. These contaminated items can
mechanically carry the virus from infected flocks to other susceptible birds.
Q. What do the nation and Iowa need to do to minimize the impact?
A. Raising poultry within closed buildings greatly reduces the risk of exposure to
wild waterfowl, swine and other wild birds. Migratory waterfowl move north along
the Mississippi River flyway and the Missouri River flyway each spring. In Iowa,
we have not documented any instances where these birds have transmitted
avian influenza to commercial poultry. Migrating ducks and geese do not have
the opportunity to mingle with commercial chickens and turkeys because almost
all commercial poultry are housed in-doors.
Biosecurity is the first level of defense against avian influenza and other diseases
of poultry. Keep the disease off of the premises! Poultry houses should be
constructed so that wild birds can't enter the buildings. Food stores need to be
covered so that wild birds cannot leave feces in the feed bins. No visitors should
enter a poultry farm or a poultry house unless it is absolutely necessary and
permission has been obtained from the owners. Equipment and vehicles should
not travel from one poultry growing site to another. If this in unavoidable, the
vehicle and equipment should be disinfected.
Q. Has enough been done?
A. The United States has a national program for breeder birds administered by
the National Poultry Improvement Plan. The chief administrator is Andrew Rhorer
in Conyers, Ga. The U.S. is developing a national program for H5/H7 Low
Pathogenic Avian Influenza for commercial birds. This plan is currently under
review by the federal government. If approved, it will be administered by the
National Poultry Improvement Plan.
Many states, including Iowa, have a surveillance program to detect avian
influenza. In September of 2003, Iowa initiated a mandatory avian influenza
monitoring system wherein serum samples from turkey and chicken flocks are
routinely checked to determine if an avian influenza virus is present on the farm
of origin. The serum samples are checked for antibodies against avian influenza
virus by the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) test. This program has been
initiated and actively supported by the Iowa Turkey Federation and the Iowa
Poultry Association.
The Iowa poultry industry, the state veterinarian and the ISU Extension poultry
veterinarian have collaborated to develop the Iowa Emergency Poultry Disease
Plan, which is reviewed on a regular basis and is ready to be implemented
should the need arise. This is a detailed document with procedures ranging from
pre-disaster measures to aid in prevention and decreasing response times all the
way through post recovery and repopulation of affected sites.
On Sept. 28, approximately 270 veterinarians attended a training session of the
Iowa Veterinary Rapid Response Team in Ames. The objective of the training
session was to prepare for an outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease or highly
pathogenic avian influenza in Iowa.
Q. What's your advice for poultry producers and for consumers?
A. Vaccination against current human strains of influenza virus will not protect
against the Asian H5N1 strain of avian influenza, but human immunization will
reduce the probability that the Asian H5N1 virus will acquire the ability to be
readily transmitted from one infected person to another susceptible person.