Check out the FAQ,Terms of Service & Disclaimers by clicking the
link. Please register
to be able to post. By viewing this site you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Acknowledge our Disclaimers.
FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster.
The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website.
By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.
LPAI can adapt to become HPAI. Some sources say it can happen in 6 to 9 months. That adaptation happens quickly in commercial poultry operations.
.
"The next major advancement in the health of American people will be determined by what the individual is willing to do for himself"-- John Knowles, Former President of the Rockefeller Foundation
An HPAI virus has been generated experimentally by repeat passage of a LPAI virus through chickens by air sac and intracerebral inoculation (Ito et al, 2001) but the exact triggers for this change under natural conditions are not known. In some earlier outbreaks of HPAI, it was evident that the change from a LPAI virus to an HPAI virus followed introduction of LPAI virus to large flocks of commercial poultry. This change apparently occurred within a matter of days in some outbreaks (as was the case of the 2004 Canadian outbreak [Bowes et al, 2004]). On the other hand, in some Central American countries, low pathogenicity H5N2 strains have circulated in poultry for a number of years without developing into highly pathogenic strains. Even in Mexico, where mutation of a LPAI H5N2 virus to an HPAI virus occurred in 1994 and this HPAI virus strain was subsequently eliminated, H5N2 LPAI viruses continue to circulate (Villarreal, 2006) but have not reverted to high pathogenicity
"The next major advancement in the health of American people will be determined by what the individual is willing to do for himself"-- John Knowles, Former President of the Rockefeller Foundation
Updated Sun. Jan. 25 2009 1:05 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed an H5 avian influenza outbreak on a turkey farm in B.C.'s Fraser Valley.
CFIA says the strain in this case is of low pathogenicity, and further tests will be done to determine the precise subtype and stain of the virus.
Pathogenicity refers to the severity of the bird's illness.
All birds on the farm will be humanely euthanized, the CFIA said in a news release. There are as many as 60,000 birds on the farm.
Afterwards, the organization will oversea the cleaning and disinfection of the farm.
Several other farms in a three-kilometre radius of the infected farm have been quarantined.
Avian viruses are not a risk to food safety providing poultry products are properly cooked. Avian influenza rarely affects humans, unless they have been in close contact with the infected birds, the CFIA says.
CTV British Columbia's Maria Weisgarber told CTV Newsnet Saturday afternoon that one man in close contact with the infected birds is under close medical watch in case anything develops.
She added that no recalls of any meat products from the farm are expected.
Weisgarber said that other farms in the area will have their birds extensively tested before they can put their product to market.
Testing was done at the infected farm after some birds showed signs of respiratory distress.
Dr. Neil Rau an infectious disease specialist told CTV Newsnet that the infected birds could have been contracted the virus from migratory birds.
"It may not be that the virus will cause disease in the migratory birds that fly in and out and drop their stools in various areas, but then if you have farm-raised poultry they may be much more susceptible and then it spreads like wildfire in that population of domestic poultry," he said.
CFIA is notifying the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health of the incident as per regulations.
There are multiple subtypes of the H5 avian flu. Additionally testing is being done to determine the virus's neuraminidase subtype -- the N in a flu virus's name.
Low path viruses, usually only lead to drop in egg production. However, a high path virus can wipe out an entire poultry operation as birds must be culled to extinguish the outbreak.
In 2005, the Fraser Valley suffered an outbreak of H5N2 avian influenza.
In Feb. 2004, 17 million birds were slaughtered in the Fraser Valley following an outbreak of H7N3, a different subtype of avian influenza.
Seventeen million birds were slaughtered in the Fraser Valley in February 2004 following an outbreak of H7N3, a different avian influenza subtype.
Avian flu found on B.C. farm; 60,000 turkeys to be killed
Canwest News Service
January 24, 2009
VANCOUVER ? Nearly 60,000 turkeys from a B.C. farm will be killed after Saturday?s positive test result for avian flu.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed the presence of H5 avian flu virus after initial tests showed the turkeys from E&H Farms, in Abbotsford, B.C., were infected.
Abbotsford is about 70 kilometres southeast of Vancouver, near the U.S. border.
?All birds on the infected premises will be humanely euthanized and disposed of, in accordance with provincial environmental regulations and internationally accepted disease-control guidelines,? said the CFIA news release.
?Once all birds have been removed, the CFIA will oversee the cleaning and disinfection of the barns, vehicles, equipment and tools to eliminate any infectious material that may remain.?
The CFIA said further tests will be done to confirm the precise subtype of the virus; some subtypes of H5_are more virulent than others.
Twenty-two farms within a three-kilometre radius of E&H Farms have been under quarantine since Wednesday night.
Food safety is not at risk due to avian influenza viruses, as long as poultry products are properly handled and cooked thoroughly.
Avian flu rarely affects humans ? unless the person has had close contact with infected birds.
?In order to limit any potential virus spread, the CFIA is applying restrictions on the movement of poultry and poultry products within three kilometres of the infected premises,? said the news release.
?The CFIA is relying on all backyard poultry owners to monitor their flocks and immediately report sick or dead birds. Poultry owners are urged to take an active role in protecting their flocks by employing strict biosecurity measures on their property.?
Any recent movement of birds, bird products and equipment involving the infected property will be probed by the CFIA, which is also conducting a thorough epidemiological investigation of the farm.
The B.C. Poultry Association, responsible for a $400-million industry, wasn?t surprised by Saturday?s news.
?It is very much what we expected,? said Ray Nickel, president of the association, which represents about 600 producers. ?So they will proceed with the destruction order.
?The farmers are obviously upset and concerned about the process. . . . A mass cull on your farm is pretty traumatic. They (CFIA) will monitor it very closely and test the farms in the three-kilometre zone weekly. And this doesn?t affect consumers, which is good.?
On Friday, security guards stood outside E&H Farms, a tidy spread with a cream-coloured house and several large outbuildings.
The tests were ordered after a farm worker noticed some of the turkeys were having respiratory problems. A Ministry of Agriculture spokeswoman said the farm has been diligent about biosecurity.
One highly pathogenic version of the H5 virus is H5N1, which has killed about 250 people.
Many farmers with the ?Avian Influenza Measures in Effect? and orange marker sign on the front of their properties declined to comment on the matter on Friday, but one, who asked only to be known as Rob, said they are hoping for the best.
?We?re still waiting,? Rob said. ?We?re just hoping it is not the bad one.?
In 2004, 17 million birds from the Fraser Valley were slaughtered ? the largest animal cull in Canadian history. The virus was never detected in humans.
Farmers have been working to improve biosecurity and communication since the 2004 outbreak.
Am I missing something. This is LPAI H5N1. low path h5n1. Not HPAI H5N1 -"Asian" H5N1. Should this be a concern? low path h5n1?
The outbreak in Canada is a "leading indicator". H5 is widespread in North America. The only reported H5 positive associated with dead waterfowl was on Prince Edward Island in 2006. The samples were held for over a week and by the time they were sent to Winnipeg, the samples degraded and Canada never filed an OIE report (so North America remained "H5N1 free" based on agency filings).
The BC outbreak will likely include low path American H5, and if enough testig is done, will also have high path American H5. However, it is also likely that the H5 sequence will have polymorphisms from H5N1 in Asia, signaling the presence of Asian H5N1 in North America.
Thus, the outbreak is another shot across the bow for the state of H5N1 denial, which is widespread in North America.
The outbreak in Canada is a "leading indicator". H5 is widespread in North America. ............., it is also likely that the H5 sequence will have polymorphisms from H5N1 in Asia, signaling the presence of Asian H5N1 in North America..............
What Asian H5N1 polymophism-containing hosts have been discovered in North America, besides the pintail ducks? Weren't there also some in Canadian swine? Mallards?
.
"The next major advancement in the health of American people will be determined by what the individual is willing to do for himself"-- John Knowles, Former President of the Rockefeller Foundation
"Low-path" bird flu found in B.C.
Staff 1/25/2009 6:07:00 AM
Related ItemsMore News by TopicLivestock An H5 strain of avian influenza has been confirmed on a commercial poultry farm in southern British Columbia, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed Saturday.
"Tests to date indicate that the strain of AI in this case is low-pathogenic," the agency said in a release. "Further testing is underway to confirm pathogenicity and to determine the precise subtype and strain of the virus."
Whether "low-path" or "high-path," all birds on the infected premises will be humanely euthanized and disposed of, CFIA said Saturday.
Once all birds have been removed, CFIA said, it will oversee cleaning and disinfection of barns, vehicles, equipment and tools to "eliminate any infectious material that may remain," the agency said.
CFIA said it will restrict movement of poultry and poultry products within three km of the infected premises. The agency said it is relying on all backyard poultry owners to monitor flocks and immediately report sick or dead birds.
The CFIA is also investigating any recent movement of birds, bird products and equipment onto and off of the infected property.
CFIA said it will also notify the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and international trading partners of the situation.
CFIA didn't say in its release where the H5-positive poultry farm was located, but the Reuters news agency reported Friday that the infected farm is a turkey operation in the Fraser River valley.
The region includes most of B.C.'s poultry production and has had outbreaks of bird flu before, the biggest of which was in 2004.
While the best known "high-path" strain of bird flu, H5N1, is still overwhelmingly a birds' disease, since 2003 it has killed about 250 people worldwide, generally those who have had direct contact with infected birds and their blood.
Experts in zoonotic diseases have said H5N1 runs a risk of mutating or combining with a higher-pathogenicity flu virus, spurring a flu pandemic in humans.
So this looks like it is approximately 5 miles from the USA border. Is there any extra precaution on the US side? Do workers mix borders in the area? I looked at the web page for the Seattle Times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/home/index.html
assuming it is the regional newspaper for the area, but I did not see any mention of the story.
Some farms in the quarantine zone are less than 1000 feet from the US border
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> function resizeImage() { var imgBox = document.getElementById('imageBox'); var photo = document.getElementById('storyphoto'); if (imgBox != null & photo != null) { if(photo.width >= 460) { imgBox.className = 'imagesize460'; } else { if(photo.width >= 300) { imgBox.className = 'imagesize310'; } else { imgBox.className = 'imageboxpadding'; } imgBox.style.width = photo.width + 'px'; } } } function getStoryFontSize() { var storyfontsize = getCookie('storyfontsize'); var storyfontimage = getCookie('storyfontimage'); // use cookied value, if present if (storyfontsize != null) { setClass('story_content',storyfontsize); if (storyfontimage != null) { setClass('fontsizecontainer',storyfontimage); } } else // default it to para14 if no cookie { setClass('story_content','para14'); setClass('fontsizecontainer','size02'); } } function setStoryFontSize(storyfontsize,storyfontimage) { setClass('story_content',storyfontsize); setClass('fontsizecontainer',storyfontimage); setCookie('storyfontsize', storyfontsize, '365', '/', '', ''); setCookie('storyfontimage', storyfontimage, '365', '/', '', ''); } function setCookie( name, value, expires, path, domain, secure ) { // set time var today = new Date(); today.setTime( today.getTime() ); if ( expires ) { expires = expires * 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24; //days } var expires_date = new Date( today.getTime() + (expires) ); document.cookie = name + "=" + escape( value ) + ( ( expires ) ? ";expires=" + expires_date.toGMTString() : "" ) + ( ( path ) ? ";path=" + path : "" ) + ( ( domain ) ? ";domain=" + domain : "" ) + ( ( secure ) ? ";secure" : "" ); } function getCookie( check_name ) { // split this cookie up into name/value pairs var a_all_cookies = document.cookie.split( ';' ); var a_temp_cookie = ''; var cookie_name = ''; var cookie_value = ''; var b_cookie_found = false; // set boolean t/f default f for ( i = 0; i < a_all_cookies.length; i++ ) { // split apart each name=value pair a_temp_cookie = a_all_cookies[i].split( '=' ); // and trim left/right whitespace while we're at it cookie_name = a_temp_cookie[0].replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, ''); // if the extracted name matches passed check_name if ( cookie_name == check_name ) { b_cookie_found = true; // we need to handle case where cookie has no value but exists (no = sign, that is): if ( a_temp_cookie.length > 1 ) { cookie_value = unescape( a_temp_cookie[1].replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, '') ); } // note that in cases where cookie is initialized but no value, null is returned return cookie_value; break; } a_temp_cookie = null; cookie_name = ''; } if ( !b_cookie_found ) { return null; } } </SCRIPT>
A poultry farmer whose farm on Lefeuvre Road in Abbotsford, was labeled 'restricted' only as a precaussion. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is testing for avian influenza after antibodies for the disease were detected in some 12-week old turkeys from E & H Farms.
Photograph by: Canwest News Service, Canwest News Service
VANCOUVER -- Nearly 60,000 turkeys from a B.C. farm will be killed after Saturday's positive test result for avian flu.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed the presence of H5 avian flu virus after initial tests showed the turkeys from E&H Farms, in Abbotsford, B.C., were infected.
Abbotsford is about 70 kilometres southeast of Vancouver, near the U.S. border.
"All birds on the infected premises will be humanely euthanized and disposed of, in accordance with provincial environmental regulations and internationally accepted disease-control guidelines," said the CFIA news release.
"Once all birds have been removed, the CFIA will oversee the cleaning and disinfection of the barns, vehicles, equipment and tools to eliminate any infectious material that may remain."
The CFIA said further tests will be done to confirm the precise subtype of the virus; some subtypes of H5_are more virulent than others.
Twenty-two farms within a three-kilometre radius of E&H Farms have been under quarantine since Wednesday night.
Food safety is not at risk due to avian influenza viruses, as long as poultry products are properly handled and cooked thoroughly.
Avian flu rarely affects humans - unless the person has had close contact with infected birds.
"In order to limit any potential virus spread, the CFIA is applying restrictions on the movement of poultry and poultry products within three kilometres of the infected premises," said the news release.
"The CFIA is relying on all backyard poultry owners to monitor their flocks and immediately report sick or dead birds. Poultry owners are urged to take an active role in protecting their flocks by employing strict biosecurity measures on their property."
Any recent movement of birds, bird products and equipment involving the infected property will be probed by the CFIA, which is also conducting a thorough epidemiological investigation of the farm.
The B.C. Poultry Association, responsible for a $400-million industry, wasn't surprised by Saturday's news.
"It is very much what we expected," said Ray Nickel, president of the association, which represents about 600 producers. "So they will proceed with the destruction order.
"The farmers are obviously upset and concerned about the process. . . . A mass cull on your farm is pretty traumatic. They (CFIA) will monitor it very closely and test the farms in the three-kilometre zone weekly. And this doesn't affect consumers, which is good."
On Friday, security guards stood outside E&H Farms, a tidy spread with a cream-coloured house and several large outbuildings.
The tests were ordered after a farm worker noticed some of the turkeys were having respiratory problems. A Ministry of Agriculture spokeswoman said the farm has been diligent about biosecurity.
One highly pathogenic version of the H5 virus is H5N1, which has killed about 250 people.
Many farmers with the "Avian Influenza Measures in Effect" and orange marker sign on the front of their properties declined to comment on the matter on Friday, but one, who asked only to be known as Rob, said they are hoping for the best.
"We're still waiting," Rob said. "We're just hoping it is not the bad one."
In 2004, 17 million birds from the Fraser Valley were slaughtered - the largest animal cull in Canadian history. The virus was never detected in humans.
Farmers have been working to improve biosecurity and communication since the 2004 outbreak.
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. -- Nearly 60,000 turkeys from a B.C. farm will be killed as early as Monday after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed a positive test result for avian flu on the weekend.
A spokesman for the federal agency said agricultural experts were spending Sunday preparing for the cull which would likely take place Monday or Tuesday.
"Today we're prepping, sealing up barns for the gas that sort of thing," said Mark Clarke, adding that gas was the method that would be used to kill the turkeys.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said all birds on the infected premises will be humanely euthanized and disposed of, in accordance with provincial environmental regulations and internationally accepted disease-control guidelines.
Clarke said it will another five days before further testing to confirm pathogenicity and precise subtype and virus strain will be completed.
The agency confirmed the presence of H5 avian flu virus on Saturday after initial tests showed the turkeys from E&H Farms, in Abbotsford, B.C., were infected.
Abbotsford is about 70 kilometres southeast of Vancouver, near the U.S. border.
"Once all birds have been removed, the CFIA will oversee the cleaning and disinfection of the barns, vehicles, equipment and tools to eliminate any infectious material that may remain," the CFIA said in a news release.
The CFIA confirmed the presence of AI strain, which is low-pathogenic. The term pathogenicity refers to the severity of the illness.
Twenty-two farms within a three-kilometre radius of E&H Farms have been under quarantine since Wednesday night.
Food safety is not at risk due to avian influenza viruses, as long as poultry products are properly handled and cooked thoroughly.
Avian flu rarely affects humans - unless the person has had close contact with infected birds.
"In order to limit any potential virus spread, the CFIA is applying restrictions on the movement of poultry and poultry products within three kilometres of the infected premises," said the news release.
"The CFIA is relying on all backyard poultry owners to monitor their flocks and immediately report sick or dead birds. Poultry owners are urged to take an active role in protecting their flocks by employing strict biosecurity measures on their property."
Any recent movement of birds, bird products and equipment involving the infected property will be probed by the CFIA, which is also conducting a thorough epidemiological investigation of the farm.
The tests were ordered after a farm worker noticed some of the turkeys were having respiratory problems. A Ministry of Agriculture spokeswoman said the farm has been diligent about biosecurity.
Initial tests done in Abbotsford showed the H5 strain of the virus, which can become highly pathogenic. A related virus - H5N1- has killed about 250 people.
In 2004, 17 million birds from the Fraser Valley were slaughtered - the largest animal cull in Canadian history. The virus was never detected in humans.
Farmers have been working to improve biosecurity and communication since the 2004 outbreak.
"The next major advancement in the health of American people will be determined by what the individual is willing to do for himself"-- John Knowles, Former President of the Rockefeller Foundation
By Canwest News, Vancouver Sun
January 25, 2009 1:0
0 PM ABBOTSFORD, B.C. --
Nearly 60,000 turkeys from a B.C. farm will be killed as early as Monday after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed a positive test result for avian flu on the weekend.
A spokesman for the federal agency said agricultural experts were spending Sunday preparing for the cull which would likely take place Monday or Tuesday.
"Today we're prepping, sealing up barns for the gas that sort of thing," said Mark Clarke, adding that gas was the method that would be used to kill the turkeys.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said all birds on the infected premises will be humanely euthanized and disposed of, in accordance with provincial environmental regulations and internationally accepted disease-control guidelines.
Clarke said it will another five days before further testing to confirm pathogenicity and precise subtype and virus strain will be completed.
The agency confirmed the presence of H5 avian flu virus on Saturday after initial tests showed the turkeys from E&H Farms, in Abbotsford, B.C., were infected.
The initial test, which was conducted at a lab in Abbotsford ? about 75 kilometres southeast of Vancouver ? was prompted when a worker at E & H Farms noticed the birds seemed to be suffering from some sort of respiratory distress.
Initial tests show the virus is an H5 strain, which is an indication it could become highly pathogenic, similar to the H5N1 virus that has killed more than 250 people worldwide.
Late last week, Sandra Stephens, a disease control specialist with the CFIA, told The Vancouver Sun there has been no evidence to suggest it is an unusually dangerous form of the virus.
"It's possible that we could have an H5N1, but it would appear, just by the way this virus is acting, that it's not a highly pathogenic form, so it wouldn't be the Asian strain," she said.
There are 16 different H-types of the virus, but it is the H5 and the H7 types that can quickly change from a low pathogenic form to a highly pathogenic form, Stephens said.
Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall said one worker at the turkey farm has possibly been affected by contact with the birds, but measures are in place to ensure the health and safety of anyone else who might come in contact with an infected bird.
There is no risk to public health at this time, Kendall said.
Those who come in direct contact with the infected birds will have to take a course of anti-viral drugs as a precaution.
"The risk is really remote that the avian influenza would move to humans or infect a human," he said.
"We've got rapid communication and if we need to, we can very quickly get out and assess who might be at risk," Kendall said. "We have protocols in place for the protection that we think is needed for the people who would be exposed if they did a cull.
"During the avian flu outbreak of 2004, the virus was never detected in a human, but more than 17 million birds were culled, making it the largest animal cull in Canadian history.
Kendall said the Asian strain of the virus has never been detected in North America.
He said there has been thorough testing and surveillance of both farm fowl and wild birds, which are also known to carry the virus.
Calvin Breukelman, chairman of the B.C. Poultry Association's biosecurity committee, said an emergency response team co-ordinated by the poultry industry was mobilized Friday morning.
Since the 2004 outbreak, he said farmers have been working closely with the CFIA to enhance biosecurity and communication.
Liz Bicknell, spokeswoman with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, said the farm in question has been diligent about biosecurity.
"This particular farm we're dealing with right now, their biosecurity measures are impeccable ? they are very, very high," Bicknell said.
With files from Chad Skelton and Canwest News Services
-
Nearly 60,000 turkeys from an Abbotsford farm are expected to be killed Monday after the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed a positive test result for avian flu on the weekend.
Security guards were stationed Sunday at the entrance to the family-run E & H farms while agricultural experts prepared for the intricate and time-sensitive process of killing the birds with CO2 gas.
The CFIA confirmed the presence of the virus Saturday, which so far has only been reported in the one location on Lefeuvre Road.
It?s not yet known where the virus came from, CFIA veterinary program specialist Sandra Stephens said Sunday, but she said migratory birds are a prime suspect.
?The source can be quite a lengthy investigation because we have to look at every possible contact and movement,? she said. ?At this point of time we don?t have that smoking gun that says, ?I am the virus that walked in the barn.??
Initial testing has shown the virus is an H5 strain, which is an indication it could become highly pathogenic. However, results so far show that this strain is low pathogenic. Stephens said the specific strain won?t be determined for several days.
One subtype of the avian flu - H5N1 - has killed more than 250 people worldwide.
An avian flu outbreak in 2004 resulted in the culling of 17 million B.C. birds, but the virus was never detected in a human.
?There are absolutely no signs that this particular virus has spread outside of the affected farm and therefore we?re confident that there is no risk to the general public,? Fraser Health Authority chief medical health officer Dr. Elizabeth Brodkin said Sunday. ?Anyone who has been in direct contact with the diseased birds has a theoretical but small risk of developing infection. And so we?re watching them closely.?
The health authority will be monitoring workers within the vicinity of the affected farm, as well as people who will be involved in the bird cull, for signs they have contracted influenza.
Meanwhile, 23 farms within a three-kilometre radius of the area are under quarantine to prevent the spread of the virus. The quarantine will remain in place for at least 21 days after the cull, when a final test shows there is no sign of the virus, Stephens said.
Movement of people and equipment will be restricted, with precautions in place like changing footwear and clothing or spraying tires and wheelwells.
The affected location is actually two turkey farms owned by brothers Mike and Shawn Heppell, said B.C. Poultry Association president Ray Nickel.
?When I spoke to them, they were a bit shellshocked by it initially,? he said of the owners. ?It?s emotional and they?re feeling somewhat stressed with feeling the enormity of what happened.?
A man who answered the phone at Shawn Heppell?s residence said the family had no comment.
The owners will be compensated for the market value of the birds killed, said Mark Clarke of the CFIA, but he could not estimate what that will be.
The process for killing the birds starts with completely sealing off the barn, Stephens said.
From there, the birds should be gassed quickly before the lack of ventilation causes undue heat stress, she said.
?For the destruction, we?ll be using C02 gas flooding of the barn,? Stephens said. ?[The birds] almost go into an anesthetized state first. That?s one of the benefits of using CO2 is you get that little bit of that effect at first and then the birds go on to die.?
Once the turkeys are killed, they will be left in the barn and mixed with wood shavings for an initial composting period of seven to 10 days, she said. The temperature of the remains will be carefully monitored to ensure that heat generated during composting is sufficient to inactivate the virus, Stephens said.
From there, the partially composted birds will be brought out of the barn, covered in sawdust or straw, and allowed to fully decompose until the mixture eventually becomes usable soil, she said.
Nickel said the B.C. poultry industry learned a lot from the 2004 incident and is now much better equipped to deal with an outbreak.
In 2004, he said, the methods of destroying and disposing of the birds was suspected of spreading the virus to other farms.
For example, he said, birds were destroyed outside of the farm facilities, where wind could blow feathers and dust off-site.
As well, he said, some of the infected ?product? was moved off-site for disposal after it was destroyed.
Nickel said B.C. poultry farms now have the toughest biosecurity standards in the country. crolfsen@vancouversun.com, with a file from Canwest News Service
Tweet
Comment