Diagnosis

How to Recognise Avian Influenza

What to look for

·         Ruffled feathers

·         Soft-shelled eggs

·         Depression and droopiness

·         Sudden drop in egg production

·         Loss of appetite

·         Cyanosis (purplish-blue coloring) of wattles and comb

·         Edema and swelling of head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks

·         Green diarrhoea

·         Blood-tinged discharge from nostrils

·         Incoordination, including loss of ability to walk and stand

·         Pin-point hemorrhages (most easily seen on the feet and shanks)

·         Respiratory distress

·         Increased death losses in a flock

·         Sudden death

·         Nasal discharges

Avian influenza Outbreaks

Outbreaks of avian influenza in the poultry industry cause devastating economic losses and is generally controlled through extensive culling of infected birds. Alternative strategies also use vaccination as a supplementary control measure during avian influenza outbreaks.

Advantages of Vaccination

·         Vaccination reduces susceptibility to infection.

·         A higher dose of virus is necessary to infect the vaccinated birds.

·         Vaccinated birds shed less virus.
- Decreased contamination of the environment.
- Decreased risk of human infection

·         Used strategically vaccination compliments a stamping out strategy by slowing/stopping the spread of the virus