A second case of bird flu in a flock of Mississippi chickens has been confirmed, this time at a commercial breeder’s facility in Copiah County.
The Mississippi Board of Animal Health (MBAH) was notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory that the herd of broilers tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. The update comes just over a week after a group of poultry in Greene County were depopulated after contracting the disease.
Samples from the Copiah County flock were tested at the Mississippi Veterinary Research & Diagnostic Laboratory and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. The state veterinarian has quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property have been killed to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock have not entered the food system.
The MBAH is working closely with federal animal health officials in Mississippi on a joint incident response. The MBAH is also actively working with the poultry industry to increase the monitoring of flocks statewide.
Avian influenza in birds can cause the following ailments in animals:
- Sudden death
- Lack of energy or appetite
- Decreased egg production
- Soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
- Swelling or purple discoloration of the head, eyelids, comb, and hocks
- Nasal discharge
- Coughing and sneezing
- Incoordination
- Diarrhea
According to officials, bird flu does not present a food safety risk to humans. Poultry and eggs are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly. The public health risk associated with avian influenza in birds remains low.
Officials remind the public that proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.
Since November, bird flu has been detected in migratory waterfowl in multiple areas of Mississippi. The poultry industry was notified and put on high alert to increase biosecurity and surveillance.
Nationally, avian influenza has sent farmers, veterinary scientists, and elected leaders into a frenzy — particularly in California where a state of emergency was declared due to a mass outbreak of the disease in cattle.
In Mississippi, poultry owners are encouraged to practice good biosecurity and report bird illnesses and deaths here. Information will be routed to a state or federal veterinarian in Mississippi for assessment.
Dead birds should be double‐bagged and refrigerated for possible testing. Precautions should be taken when handling sick or dead birds including proper handwashing, using gloves, wearing masks, and sanitation of surfaces that come into contact with sick or dead birds to prevent the spread of avian influenza to people.
