Saskachewan Poultry Sector On The Lookout For Avian Influenza

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

While there is always a risk that avian influenza A (H5N1) may come to Saskatchewan in the future, steps are already in place to control the impact the discovery of any infected animals would have on the Saskatchewan poultry sector, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Disease Surveillance Veterinarian Dr. Mary VanderKop.

“We know that avian influenza A has made its way to waterfowl in Europe, and that North American and European ducks and geese have migratory patterns that intersect, so, in theory, there is a risk of transmission, but the poultry industry is extremely well protected because commercial birds are raised in confined barns,” VanderKop says.

“It is perhaps more at locations where geese and ducks are raised outdoors that cross-infection might occur. Wild ducks and geese may share ponds, and the disease may be transmitted in these circumstances to domestic ducks and geese that might, in turn, transmit it to free-ranging chickens.”

In the event an animal became ill and died as a result of avian flu, provincial authorities are in an ideal position to detect it right away because the province co-funds the Prairie Diagnostic Services (PDS) laboratory, in co-operation with the University of Saskatchewan. PDS tests animals submitted by veterinarians to determine the cause of death. It would find out if avian flu were to blame, says VanderKop. If the PDS suspected that it found the highly infectious strains of avian flu, it would have to report it to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which has authority to quarantine and eradicate the disease. Therefore, the risk of it spreading in Saskatchewan is very minimal, especially to humans.

Current evidence suggests that the most likely means of transmitting the virus to people is close human contact with live infected birds. There is no evidence to suggest that the consumption of cooked poultry or eggs could transmit the avian flu to humans. All the evidence to date indicates that thorough cooking will kill the virus.

“The cases of transmission in developing countries that we hear about in the news are attributed to close contact, including allowing chickens to live in the house during the winter months,” she says.

The CFIA advises poultry operations to rigorously follow current guidelines to prevent avian influenza from spreading. It reminds producers that vehicles, equipment and clothing can carry the avian influenza virus. As a general practice, poultry owners should strictly limit access to their premises. If visitors must enter, poultry producers must take the following biosecurity precautions:

Provide visitors with clean coveralls or other clothing which they must wear for the duration of their visit.

Clean these clothes daily using normal laundering practices.

Require all visitors to wash their hands before entering the barns.

Provide all visitors with clean footwear to wear for the duration of their visit. If this is not feasible, footwear must be thoroughly cleaned of all debris with soap and water followed by disinfectant. As an added precaution, footbaths containing disinfectant should be placed at the entrance of poultry houses to clean entering and exiting footwear.

Place a standard pump sprayer containing disinfectant at the entrance to the property, and require all visitors to thoroughly spray their vehicles – particularly the tires, wheel wells and undercarriage – before entering the premises.

The CFIA advises poultry producers to ensure all equipment brought onto their premises is clean. To further protect against the spread of avian influenza, equipment should be sprayed with disinfectant.

As for the risk of transmission through egg or animal consumption, Health Canada says that, while unlikely, transmission of the virus to humans via the consumption of uncooked or undercooked eggs or poultry cannot be completely ruled out. To limit potential risks, poultry and eggs should be thoroughly cooked to kill any possible viruses or bacteria.

Proper safe food handling practices, such as handwashing and keeping poultry and egg products separate from other food products to avoid cross contamination, should be followed. This is consistent with long standing advice from Health Canada and other health authorities throughout the world.

The bottom line is keep following the procedures that are already in place.

To find out more, visit the special Pandemic Influenza website established by the Government of Canada at: http://www.influenza.gc.ca/index_e.html, or Saskatchewan Health’s Public Pandemic Preparedness Influenza Plan at http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Mary VanderKop
Disease Surveillance Veterinarian
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-8661