The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) has added Sharp and Fulton Counties to the list of counties with suspected activity of the “Highly Pathogenic Avien Influenza”
Although the Avian Influenza is a common and naturally occurring virus in birds of all types, the forms of influenza constantly circulate in bird populations.
“These forms are classified as either low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) or high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The current strain of HPAI being found throughout the U.S., including Arkansas, causes the most concern because of its ability to spread quickly and its extremely high mortality rates in poultry. It also has the potential to cause clinical disease in a variety of wild bird
species,” the AGFC said. “The virus tends to accumulate in the digestive tract of infected birds and can be passed on through contact with feces and other bodily fluids. The virus also can be present on the exterior of birds, including their feathers, feet and dander.”
The HPAI has been discovered in Arkansas and is a likely cause for the recent outbreaks and mortality in domestic and wild bird populations in Arkansas.
“At least two cases of HPAI have been documented in domestic flocks in Arkansas. At least eight counties in Arkansas have had gatherings of diseased or dead snow geese which are being tested but show a high probability of being HPAI-positive,” the AGFC said.
As of Dec. 20, the AGFC repots 23 of Arkansas’s 75 counties have confirmed cases of HPAI with the closest counties being Baxter and Lawrence.
Birds who have been impacted by HPAI will show confusion and a lack of hear toward humans and pets, tremors or lack of coordination, swelling around the head, neck and eyes, inability to fly more than a few feet, coughing, sneezing or gasping for air and in waterfowl and other brids that flock together there may be die-offs in concentrated areas.
“Hunters and wildlife watchers who observe concentrations of sick or dead birds should contact the AGFC’s wildlife health program with information about the species, number of birds affected and location at [email protected].,” the AGFC said.
Although the risk of a human catching HPAI is low risk, documented cases have occurred more specifically in cases where the individuals were in close proximity to infected domestic poultry for an extended period of time.
“Avian flu does not pose a food safety risk if all meat is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit,” the AGFC said.
In areas known to be impacted by the avian influenza, it is not recommended to send retrievers to bring back any ducks, geese or other birds which are acting strangely or have been found dead.
“So far there have been no documented cases of HPAI spilling over into domestic canines, but some reports of wild foxes contracting the disease after scavenging infected birds have been recorded in other states. As a precaution, do not send your retriever to bring back any ducks or geese that are acting strange or are found dead in the field and do not feed your pets any uncooked portions of waterfowl. If you have additional questions regarding your pet’s health, please contact your personal veterinarian.”
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