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Dubois County Avian Flu Control Areas Lifted, Another Northern Indiana Farm Records Positive
Dubois Co. - On Tuesday, the Indiana Board of Animal Health made the announcement that the Avian Flu control area has been lifted for Dubois County, while another Northern Indiana farm has recorded a positive test.
The Indiana BOAH initiated the following press release:
On April 12, a second commercial duck flock in Elkhart County has tested presumptive-positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The flock, known as Elkhart2, has an estimated 6,000 ducks (more information to come as the situation develops). Board of Animal Health staff are working to notify flock owners in the 10-km Control Area that is being established around Elkhart 2.
SURVEILLANCE TESTING: Testing of nearby flocks is important to verifying the virus has not spread in the area. The first round of surveillance testing within the 10-km control area around Elkhart1 is complete with negative results. Testing has begun in the additional 10-km surveillance zone. BOAH will be establishing a 10-km control area around Elkhart2 and notifying farmers in that area.
HOBBY/BACKYARD FLOCK SURVEILLANCE: BOAH staff has reached out to approximately 320 residences in the 3-km infected zone around Elkhart1 to schedule testing of birds to ensure the virus is not present. Plans are to do the same around Elkhart2 in the coming days. Hobby poultry owners in Elkhart County should contact BOAH at 317-544-2387 to schedule testing at no charge.
To date, 74 hobby flocks were tested in Dubois and Greene counties; laboratory testing determined them as negative.
WILD BIRD SURVEILLANCE: USDA Wildlife Services is assisting with surveillance of wild birds in and near the control areas. Approximately 220 samples from waterfowl, pigeons, European starlings and other species have been tested; results have proven negative for all samples except for a single redhead duck.
BACKGROUND
On Feb. 9, 2022, a confirmed case of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was identified in a single commercial turkey flock in Dubois County. This is the first report of HPAI in commercial poultry in the United States since 2020 and the first in Indiana since 2016. Control area lifted on March 23; quarantine of site remains intact.
Samples were collected from the birds on Feb. 7 and submitted to the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) at Purdue University after approximately one hundred birds died, flock appeared lethargic and decreased consumption of water. Tests indicated a likely infection of an H5 avian influenza virus. Under standard protocols, the results were reported to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH), which authorized prompt transport of the samples to US Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, IA for confirmatory testing.
NVSL confirmed that the virus present was a highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 (with a Eurasian H5 goose/Guangdong lineage). Upon confirmation of HPAI, the 29,000 turkeys in the flock (known as Dubois 1) were depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease in the area.
On Feb. 15 laboratory testing of a second commercial flock of turkeys in Dubois County has identified the H5 avian influenza virus (known as Dubois2). Upon confirmation of HPAI, the 26,473 turkeys in the flock were depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease in the area. Control area lifted on March 23; quarantine of site remains intact.
On Feb. 17, laboratory testing of a commercial flock of turkeys in Greene County has identified the H5 avian influenza virus (known as Greene1). A total of 48,000 turkeys in the flock were depopulated. Control area lifted on March 15; quarantine of site remains intact.
On Feb. 18, laboratory testing identified H5 avian influenza (AI) in a commercial turkey flock in Greene County (known as Greene2). A total of 15,400 turkeys were depopulated. Control area lifted on March 15; quarantine of site remains intact.
On Feb. 22, laboratory testing identified H5 AI in commercial turkeys in Dubois County (Dubois3) about 2.5 miles west of Dubois1. H5N1 was subsequently confirmed by NVSL on Feb. 24. A total of 35,908 turkeys were depopulated. Control area lifted on March 23; quarantine of site remains intact.
On March 1, laboratory testing identified H5 AI in commercial turkeys in Dubois County (Dubois4) about 6/10-mile from Dubois1. Control area lifted on March 23; quarantine of site remains intact.
A 10-km control area (CA) is established around each HPAI-affected flock. All commercial flocks in the control areas must be tested for avian influenza at least weekly. Small, hobby flocks are also subject to testing. A surveillance zone is also established in the 10-km circle beyond the control area. Flocks in the surveillance zone must be tested every other week.
On March 15, 2022, the control areas surrounding Greene County sites G1 and G2 were lifted. The G1 and G2 sites remain under quarantine until the final steps of the flock plan are complete.
On March 23, 2022, the control areas surrounding the Dubois County farms were lifted; the D1, D2, D3 and D4 farms remain under quarantine until the final steps of the flock plan are complete.
For the six sites located in Dubois and Greene counties: Final activities to close the cases continue, including: compost disposal, virus elimination, environmental sampling for presence of the virus, and a fallow period.
Control areas could be lifted upon completion of the USDA-required conditions:
The last infected premises in the control areas is depopulated and the compost pile has been set (capped)
No HPAI-positive diagnostics have been identified in the control area for 14 days after the depopulation of the infected premises
Initial virus elimination activities on the last infected premises are complete (including outside areas of the site, equipment, trucks, and other potential fomites used in the depopulation activities)
Required surveillance in the control area (commercial and backyard premises) has been completed; no evidence of HPIA infection was found in the control area
Surveillance requirements for international and bilateral trade are being conducted and may continue
On April 7, a commercial duck flock in Elkhart County has tested presumptive-positive for the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The flock, known as Elkhart 1, had 4,679 ducks. Those ducks have now been depopulated and disposal (via composting) is underway. Testing of commercial flocks in the control area is ongoing.