Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in Dubois County, Indiana, making it the first confirmed case of HPAI in commercial poultry in the United States since 2020.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), announced the confirmed case on February 9.
Samples from the affected flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University, part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa. Virus isolation is ongoing.
APHIS is working closely with the Indiana Board of Animal Health on a joint incident response. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property were depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. As part of existing avian influenza response plans, federal and state partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in the nearby area.
The new case in Indiana follows earlier detection of the virus in wild birds that were hunted in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Florida. While it is the first case of HPAI in commercial poultry in the United States, it is the second in North America. A flock of 11,800 commercial turkeys in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia was also recently affected by HPAI. There were also detections of the virus in non-commercial birds in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
USDA will report this finding to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) as well as international trading partners. USDA also continues to communicate with trading partners to encourage adherence to OIE standards and minimize trade impacts.
APHIS is hosting a webinar later today to give further details on the outbreak.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
