Highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza has been found in a commercial turkey farm in Buena Vista County, Iowa. The infection was reported on April 14 by the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), making it the first confirmed case of avian influenza in Iowa.
There were 27,000 turkeys in the infected flock. State officials quarantined the premises and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the virus.
Samples from the turkey flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the findings.
In addition to Iowa, avian influenza has been confirmed in 15 other states in 2015. Other states with confirmed avian influenza cases include Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas. Half of those states have had the virus confirmed in commercial turkey flocks.
The virus has also been confirmed in commercial turkey operations in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia.
To keep informed of the areas affected by avian influenza, see WATTAgNet’s avian influenza map to track cases confirmed across North America. Filter the map view by avian influenza strain, type of operation, species, region and date confirmed.
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