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A Threat to U.S. Poultry

AI Birds PhotoWorldwide, there are many strains of avian influenza (AI) virus that can cause varying degrees of clinical illness in poultry. AI viruses can infect chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese and guinea fowl, as well as a wide variety of other birds. Migratory waterfowl have proved to be a natural reservoir for the less infectious strains of the disease.

AI viruses can be classified as highly pathogenic (HPAI) or low pathogenic (LPAI) strains based on the severity of the illness they cause. HPAI is an extremely infectious and fatal form of the disease that, once established, can spread rapidly from flock to flock and has also been known to affect humans.  LPAI typically causes only minor illness, poses no risk to human health, and sometimes manifests no clinical signs.  However, some LPAI virus strains are capable of mutating under field conditions into HPAI viruses.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) works to keep HPAI from becoming established in the U.S. poultry population.

Oct 2, 2007 APHIS Permits Entry of Hunted Wild Birds and Details Restrictions On Poultry Products from the Saskatchewan Province in Canada
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Sep 27, 2007 Statement By Dr. John Clifford on Avian Influenza Detection in Canada
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Jul 17, 2007 Statement by Dr. John Clifford on Confirmatory Avian Influenza Tests From Turkey Samples in Virginia
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Jul 11, 2007 Statement By Dr. John Clifford On Avian Influenza Detection In Virginia
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Apr 1, 2007 Statement by Dr. John Clifford on H5N2 Detection in West Virginia
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Outreach Materials

Avian: Don't Import Trouble! (poster)
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Avian: Keep Bird Flu out of the United States (poster)
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Avian: Backyard Biosecurity: Keeping Your Birds Healthy 2010 Calendar (English/Spanish)
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Avian: Don't Smuggle Me... I Could be Sick
(poster)
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Avian: Bird Flu What You Need To Know (poster)
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Avian: Help Find Bird Flu (poster)
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Backyard Biosecurity: 6 Ways to Prevent Poultry Disease  (Vietnamese/English | Chinese | Tagalog | poster)
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Biosecurity: Protecting Your Livestock and Poultry

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Biosecurity for the Birds (coloring book)

Biosesurity for the Birds, Q & A
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Biosecurity Guide for Poultry and Bird Owners

GUÍA DE BIOSEGURIDAD para propietarios de aves y aves de corral
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Helping You, the Poultry Breeder, Prevent Disease

National Poultry Improvement Plan: Seventy Years of Poultry Improvement

Prevention and Control of H5 and H7 Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in the Live Bird Marketing System - Uniform Standards for a State-Federal-Industry Cooperative Program

Protecting America's Live Bird Market
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Protect Your Pet Bird From Bird Flu
Proteja a su ave de la influenza aviar

USDA/APHIS Further Guidance on Biosecurity and Disease Prevention and Control for Nonconfinement Poultry Production Operations

Last Modified: February 12, 2010

February 12, 2010