1A: Avian influenza killing millions of birds
On the 1A radio program on May 16, host Jenn White interviewed experts from across the country about highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which has wiped out millions of birds in the U.S.
According to White, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that avian influenza has killed more than 58 million birds on farms in the U.S. since last January. These deaths are due to direct infection and from farmers having to kill off flocks to prevent exposure, she said.
White asked: Why has it been so deadly, and what threat does it potentially pose for humans?
Among the experts she spoke with, Benji Jones, a senior environmental reporter with Vox, said that the outbreak is “really massive in terms of scale, both within poultry and wild birds.”
“This type of flu seems to be spreading really quickly and aggressively within wild birds,” he said. “Usually these highly pathogenic or high mortality rate avian viruses mostly affect poultry. But in this case, they seem to be able to spread within wild birds.”
Jones said wild birds have subsequently become a reservoir for the HPAI, meaning that it can jump back into poultry. From talking with wildlife experts, Jones said he’s heard that this is either the largest or one of the largest outbreaks among in wildlife in general and not just in birds.
“It could be the world’s biggest outbreak of a disease among wildlife,” he said.
Bill Scebbi, executive director of Colorado Egg Producers, said that the outbreak has been “tragic” in his home state.
“We are all in a repopulating or regrowth period,” he said. To get production up to par again, producers must detect, disinfect and go through other processes, Scebbi said.
Scebbi said researchers and wildlife experts are still studying what caused the HPAI outbreak in Colorado.
“It could be anything,” he said. “The biosecurity at our farms is very very high,” he said. “It could be as much as a little drop of water coming in off the top of a roof that has bird droppings on it. Who knows? And each case seems to be a bit different,” he said.
Camille Hopkins, a wildlife disease specialist with the U.S. Geological Survey, was also interviewed on the segment.
Listen to the program: https://wamu.org/story/23/05/16/the-avian-influenza-outbreak-is-killing-millions-of-birds/
A1 is broadcast nationally and originates on WAMU/NPR 88.5
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