USAHA News
United States Animal Health Association
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For immediate release:

AVIAN INFLUENZA IS "TOPIC A" AT POULTRY COMMITTEE MEETING

        GREENSBORO, N.C., Oct. 27, 2004   Both low-pathogenic and highly pathogenic strains
of avian influenza (AI) received attention at the meeting of the USAHA Committee on
Transmissible Diseases of Poultry and Other Avian Species here this week.

     Dr. Ernest Zirkle, former New Jersey State Veterinarian, presented a report on the live
bird marketing system in the northeast and its relationship to the spread of avian influenza.  This
system is comprised of storefront markets that sell individual birds to customers who then ask the
store owner to kill and dress the birds.  The birds always leave the markets processed.

     The system handles 25 million birds annually and is not subject to federal meat inspection
rules because the customer owns the birds before the birds are killed and hence the operation is
defined as "custom kill."  There are 85 of these markets in New York City, 32 in New Jersey, 10
between New York City and Boston, and 3 in Philadelphia.  

     In spite of state requirements that birds come from AI-monitored flocks, the percentage of
markets testing positive for low-pathogenic AI over the years has ranged from 15 to 85 percent. 
Some poultry suppliers for these markets do not abide by AI guidelines and requirements.  They
deliver directly to markets and return to farms, auction markets or assembly points; biosecurity is
nonexistent.

     USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), as part of the "Poultry
2004" study by its National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) will conduct the live
bird market component of this study from January through April 2005.  Seven areas -- California,
Florida, New England, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Texas -- will be involved. 
Animal health officials will visit every known live bird market in these areas where they will
gather information that focuses on bird movement, cleaning and disinfection, and management.

     The committee also heard reports on highly pathogenic AI outbreaks in Texas (H5N2)
and in the Frazer Valley, British Columbia, Canada (H7N3) as well as reports on outbreaks of
low-pathogenic AI in Ohio (h3N2), Delaware (H7N2), Pennsylvania (h2N2), Maryland (H7N2),
and Texas (H7N3).  A case of highly pathogenic AI (H5N1) was reported in Korea in December
2003 and by June 2004, nine countries were affected.

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