Inportant info for all waterfowlers
11-04-2005, 02:54 PM
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Washington State
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Inportant info for all waterfowlers
[/color]Kristin Mansfield
WDFW Veterinarian
(509) 892-1001 [/font]
Margaret Ainscough
Public Affairs Director
(360) 902-2408
Avian Influenza Facts for Hunters
Avian influenza (bird flu) is a viral illness found in birds. Wild birds can carry a number of different avian influenza “strains” (variations), and most strains of the virus do not seriously affect them. However, in recent months one particularly infectious strain of avian flu known as H5N1 has sickened and killed birds in Asia and Europe. After close contact with infected domestic birds, nearly 70 people in Asia also died from the H5N1 virus. Avian flu viruses are transmitted among birds through respiratory secretions and fecal droppings. The H5N1 virus is not easily transmissible from birds to people, but health officials are concerned it could develop into another form that spreads readily from person to person, triggering a global health crisis known as a pandemic.
Although avian flu is making headlines, it is important to note that:
[ul][*]To date, the H5N1 virus has not been found in North American wild or domestic birds.[*]There have been no known cases of humans contracting the H5N1 virus from wild birds anywhere in the world.[*]There is no evidence that properly cooked waterfowl (or domestic poultry) can sicken people. [/ul]
Because some wild birds migrate across the Bering Sea between Siberia and Alaska during their annual cycles of breeding and wintering, and wild birds migrate between Alaska and California on a route known as the Pacific Flyway, it is possible that H5N1 eventually could be transmitted to wild bird populations along the West Coast.
During the summer of 2005, surveillance for H5N1 in wild birds was initiated in Alaska.
Several thousand birds were tested for H5N1. To date, no positive cases have been detected. Surveillance in Alaska will continue through 2006 and should provide an early warning if H5N1 enters North America from wild birds in Russia.
British Columbia also began testing wild birds for H5N1 this summer, and the state of California has announced plans to begin testing this winter. Thus, migratory birds of the Pacific Flyway are being closely monitored for H5N1 and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is working with wildlife professionals in Alaska, British Columbia and California to track the results of those testing programs.
In addition, WDFW routinely investigates reports of wild bird die-offs. If a wild bird death appears unusual, samples are sent to Washington State University for testing. Citizens who observe die-offs of multiple wild birds should report the location, date and other details of their observation to WDFW Veterinarian Dr. Kristin Mansfield, by calling 509-998-2023 or 509-892-1001.
WDFW also is working with the Washington Department of Agriculture, which monitors the health of domestic poultry, and the Washington Department of Health, which monitors human health, to develop a response plan in case H5N1 is ever detected in Washington.
While it is extremely unlikely that hunters or bird watchers could contract H5N1 from wild birds here, the following common-sense precautions are always recommended to reduce the risk of contracting any wildlife disease:
[ul][*]Do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead.[*]Wear rubber gloves while cleaning game.[*]Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning game.[*]Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol wipes immediately after handling game.[*]Wash tools and work surfaces used to clean game birds with soap and water, then disinfect with a 10 percent solution of chlorine bleach.[*]Separate raw meat, and anything it touches, from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination.[*]Cook game meat thoroughly -- it should reach an internal temperature of 155 to 165 degrees Farenheit to kill disease organisms and parasites. [/ul]
Dogs used in wild bird hunting are not considered at risk of acquiring avian flu, since there have been no documented cases of the H5N1 virus infecting dogs. Cats, however, are susceptible to the H5N1 virus. Both dog and cat owners should consult their veterinarian for more information about influenza in pets.
More information on avian flu is available on the following websites:
[ul][*]USGS National Wildlife Heath Center http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/research/avian_influenza/avian_influenza.html [*]U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/issues/AvianFlu/WBAvianFlu.htm [*]U.S. Department of Agriculture http://www.aphis.usda.gov/lpa/issues/avian_influenza/index.html [*]Washington Department of Health http://www.doh.wa.gov/panflu/ [*]Centers For Disease Control and Prevention [color=#0000ff]http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm
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11-04-2005, 08:30 PM
#3
Join Date: Nov 2005
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Posts: 21
RE: Inportant info for all waterfowlers
Wasnt that diease that was found on the Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin earlier this year a Avian influenza? I might be thinking of a different diease but I dont know. Anyone know? Thanks for posting that information!!!
