July 10, 2007

Possible bird flu detected in 50,000 turkeys at Virginia farm

More than 50,000 turkeys on an unidentified farm west of Mount Jackson, Virginia in the United States have tested positive for avian flu antibodies, officials said Monday (July 9).

Virginia Poultry Federation President Hobey Bauhan said the turkeys were ready to be sent to the slaughterhouse and tested positive on Friday in a routine test for antibodies of low pathogenic avian flu.

On Saturday, the US Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of antibodies that indicated possible prior exposure to the H5 viral strain. Bauhan says a similar strain hit the Shenandoah Valley in 2002, costing farmers US$130 million.

Bauhan said this strain is not the severe, highly pathogenic one that has caused widespread flock destruction and some human cases overseas. He says the turkeys that tested positive on Friday (July 6) were to be killed and composted on-site as soon as possible.

Bauhan said more testing and surveillance will be conducted within a six-mile radius of the farm to prevent the virus from spreading, and farmers in the area should abide by strict biosecurity standards.