Regardless of the size of their operations, poultry producers across Kansas are being urged to “review their biosecurity activities” now with a resurgence of highly pathogenic avian influenza in neighboring states and across the country.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture says Colorado, Missouri and Oklahoma are among the states seeing a revival of the virus. Wild migrating waterfowl are currently the main source of the illness.
HPAI is considered highly contagious and can infect most birds, including chickens, turkeys and game birds. Severe illness or sudden death is possible with infected birds, and the Department of Agriculture says death is happening with more bird species than with past outbreaks.
Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, lack of energy or appetite, decreased egg count, soft-shelled or misshapen eggs, lack of coordination and diarrhea.
The last confirmed Kansas case of HPAI in a domestic or commercial flock was this past April.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says this does not mean any immediate health concern for humans.
