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Avian influenza in backyard poultry

To help poultry owners protect their birds from avian influenza, the BSAVA and British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA) have put together a Q&A to give vets an easy reference point to provide advice to backyard poultry keepers.

Poultry keepers should check the government website for the latest biosecurity guidance and requirements, particularly during the event of an avian influenza outbreak. 

What is avian influenza? 

Avian influenza (AI) is highly contagious viral disease that affects both domestic and wild birds. AI viruses are usually classified into two categories: low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI), which typically causes no or very few clinical signs in poultry, and high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) which typically causes high mortality rates in poultry1. Both Public Health England (PHE) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have stated that the risk to human health is very low. 

What are the clinical signs of disease in poultry?

The type and severity of clinical signs displayed will be dependent upon the strain of the virus and the species affected; some species such as ducks and geese may show few clinical signs2

How is the disease spread? 

Wild bird species are the natural host and reservoir for all types of avian influenza, naturally carrying the virus in their respiratory and intestinal tracts, commonly without developing signs of the disease1,3. The virus is predominantly spread via body secretions, both directly and indirectly2

Migratory birds (predominantly waterfowl and gulls) can spread the disease over a wide geographical area3. People can then carry the virus from wild bird droppings on their boots into chicken sheds/coops. As such, it is recommended to have boot dips at the entry to all poultry sheds. 

Furthermore, water ingress through leaks in roofs or via water coming up through the floor of the shed has been implicated in many cases. Therefore, good maintenance of coops/sheds is essential. 

Why is the winter a higher risk period for avian influenza? 

The UK is at increased risk of avian influenza from migrating birds during winter2. Furthermore, avian influenza viruses are able to survive for prolonged periods of time in the environment, particularly in low temperatures4.

How can I prevent my birds from contracting avian influenza? 

All keepers of poultry should ensure that they uphold good levels of biosecurity to prevent disease entering their flock. This includes:

maintaining good levels of hygiene including cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces; 

changing or disinfecting shoes before entering/leaving to avoid transferring faeces in/out of the poultry enclosure. It is recommended that a boot dip (containing a Defra-approved disinfectant) is placed at the entry to all poultry areas. The disinfectant must be at the right concentration and changed regularly in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions;

minimizing contact with wildlife by humanely controlling rodents and deterring wild birds. Contact with wild birds can be minimized by placing food and water in an enclosed area such as the coop, and preventing poultry from accessing ponds/standing water frequented by wild bird populations, for example by erecting temporary fencing or netting;

where possible, keep birds of different poultry species separate (e.g. ducks and geese should be separate from chickens);

•       rodent-proof poultry coops to prevent them introducing infection;

contact your vet if any of your birds show signs of disease, or die suddenly and unexpectedly.

Poultry keepers should check the government website for the latest biosecurity guidance and requirements. 

What should I do if I suspect avian influenza? 

Avian influenza is a notifiable disease. If it is suspected, it must be reported immediately:

In England, contact the Defra Rural Services Helpline on 03000 200 301

In Wales, contact your local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) office on 0300 303 8268

In Scotland, contact your local Field Services Office

For keepers in Northern Ireland, contact your local DVO. 

Further information 

The BSAVA Manual of Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery is a comprehensive starting point for veterinary practitioners wanting information about backyard poultry medicine and surgery, including infectious diseases such as AI. 

In Great Britain, any poultry keepers with more than 50 birds are legally required to register their flock with the Great Britain Poultry Register. It is, however, recommended that keepers of any number of birds register with Defra so that they can be contacted in the event of a disease outbreak (including avian influenza). For more information on how to register a flock, please visit the following website

In the event of an outbreak of avian influenza, the most up-to-date information on the situation will be available on Defra's website, the Welsh Government website, the Scottish Government website and DAERA's website

References

1. World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) (2019) Avian Influenza Portal

2. Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) (2019) Guidance: Avian influenza (bird flu)

3. Stallknecht, D. E., Brown, J. D. (2007) Wild birds and the epidemiology of avian influenza. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 43(3), pp. S15-S20.

4. Iowa State University (2015) Avian Influenza

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