More Indiana HPIA Infections Reported

The Indiana State Board of Animal Health announced nine more commercial turkey farms in Dubois County have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. This brings the total to 10 commercial turkey operations.

Further testing is underway to determine the virus type. All positive flocks are located within the original control area and were identified by surveillance testing. New 10 kilometer circles have been drawn to expand the control area slightly.

Depopulation activities are underway on most of the sites. Depopulation of the index site was completed this morning. Indiana’s Governor met with state and federal officials Saturday for an update on the situation.

The state says that poultry flocks in the surrounding area are being tested daily for the presence of avian influenza. State and federal agencies are working alongside the poultry operations to minimize the impact and eliminate the disease.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Friday confirmed the first highly pathogenic H7N8 avian influenza in a commercial turkey flock in southern Indiana. USDA says this is a different strain of HPAI than the strains that caused the 2015 outbreak.

Samples from the turkey flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at Purdue University, which is a part of USDA’s National Animal Health Laboratory Network. APHIS is working closely with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health on a joint incident response.

Source: NAFB