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Avian influenza suspected in snow geese deaths; Game Commission shares what to do if you find possibly-diseased birds

Avian influenza is suspected in the death of about 200 snow geese found last week in the greater Allentown area, according to information from the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Dead birds were recovered from two sites, one in Lower Nazareth Township in Northampton County and another in Upper Macungie Township in Lehigh County.

Preliminary in-state testing indicated the presence of highly pathogenic Avian influenza (HPAI). While results still need to be confirmed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) at their National Veterinary Services Laboratories, HPAI is presumed to be the cause of these mortality events. The situation is ongoing as sick wild birds were also observed at both locations, the Game Commission’s statement said.

Since the beginning of the U.S. outbreak in January 2022, HPAI has impacted wild and domestic birds in every state.

“When HPAI first appeared here and was at a high level where it was affecting many large commercial flocks and there were periods of wide bird die off, while it backed down, it never really went away,” said Travis Lau, the Game Commission’s communications director, referring to the initial outbreak.

“We continued for the rest of that time to have dead birds reported to us, (we) picked them up, tested some of them, and had Avian Flu confirmed as the cause of their death,” he said.

The recent incident with the snow geese, Lau said, questions if there is a resurgence of the disease because Pennsylvania is not the only state reporting die-offs of this magnitude.

“Delaware had reported a big die-off. There was a big die-off reported out west, so maybe it does signal that we’re in some sort of resurgence where we’ll see more cases going forward,” Lau said.

“That’s why we wanted to let people know that we had these incidents out there and what to do if they encounter dead birds and where to report them,” he added.

Wild waterfowl and shorebirds are considered natural reservoirs for avian influenza viruses. While infected birds may shed the virus in their feces and saliva despite appearing healthy, HPAI can lead to sickness or death in raptors (hawks, eagles), avian scavengers (crows, gulls, ravens), other waterfowl species (ducks, geese), and wild poultry (turkey, grouse). Clinical signs of infection in wild birds are often non-specific but may include neurologic dysfunction such as circling, head tilting, and difficulty flying, according to the Game Commission.

Those encountering other sick or dead wild birds can report them by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453), by emailing pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov or by using the online Wildlife Health Survey tool.

Any sick or dead domestic birds should be reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-772-2852. If you have had contact with sick or dead birds and are not feeling well, contact your primary care physician or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-724-3258.

HPAI is particularly contagious and lethal to domestic poultry. HPAI does not appear to significantly impact wild bird populations; however, it does have the potential to significantly affect the commercial poultry industry and international trade.

The Game Commission continues to work with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, the USDA, the Wildlife Futures Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, and the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System to monitor for HPAI in wild and domestic bird populations throughout the state. Any additional HPAI detections will be reported by the USDA on its website.

Because the viruses that cause the Avian flu are naturally occurring and always present in wild birds, preventing or controlling the disease in that population is not feasible. However, safeguards can be taken to protect domestic birds or wild birds held in captivity. Owners should always prohibit contact between their birds and wild birds to prevent the spread of disease.State residents who care for captive wild birds, domestic backyard poultry, or are involved in commercial poultry operations should review their biosecurity plans to protect their flocks. Free biosecurity information is available on the USDA’s website.

Other precautions include: always observing wildlife from a safe distance; avoid contacting surfaces that may be contaminated with feces from wild or domestic birds; and never handling wildlife unless you are hunting, trapping, or otherwise authorized to do so.

As certain waterfowl hunting seasons run until April, hunters are encouraged to continue participating in the remaining season, but should take precautions while handling and dressing birds.

These include wearing nitrile gloves, protective eyewear, and a mask. Following any hunt, make a point to practice good hygiene, including washing hands and any clothing used in the process of dressing game that may contain blood or feces. Finally, never handle wildlife that is sick or displaying signs of sickness. Instead, report it to the Game Commission.

In addition, the Game Commission cautions hunters to follow these routine precautions when hunting and handling birds: do not harvest or handle wild birds that appear sick or are found dead; do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling birds; wash hands and any tools or work surfaces that come in contact with birds with soap and water. An alcohol-based sanitizer can be used if soap and water is not available; following cleaning, tools and work surfaces can be disinfected with a 10% household bleach solution; to ensure adequate disinfection, allow to air dry or rinse with clean water after 10 minutes of contact time; before picking up the wild bird carcass, put on either disposable or washable gloves. If gloves are unavailable, a plastic bag can be used as a makeshift glove.

To dispose of a bird carcass, a burial hole of a depth of at least 2 feet should be dug to discourage scavenging. The burial site should not be in an area that could contaminate a water supply. In order to dispose of the carcass in commercial/residential trash, place it in a plastic bag along with any gloves that were used, then place everything in a second plastic bag before disposing of it. Immediately wash your hands and any non-disposable gloves that were used. Cook all wild bird meat to 160°F.

For dog owners Lau suggested mitigating their pet’s exposure to HPAI by taking steps to keep them from “picking up, chewing on or consuming any sick or dead birds they might find.”

“Birds that died from unknown causes, represent a bigger risk as opposed to apparently healthy live birds that are harvested by hunters and retrieved by hunting dogs,” Lau said.

There’s no recommendation for waterfowl hunters to make any changes due to the recently reported snow goose mortality event, he said.

“It is possible for a dog to pick up avian flu or other viruses. All dogs spend at least some time outside, where they might be exposed to all sorts of things. But our best advice for pet owners is to limit their dog’s exposure to dead birds and consult their vet if they have concerns,” he added. For cats, the Game Commission encourages people to keep cats indoors at all times.

“If left out, a cat has the potential to kill a lot of protected wildlife, including birds. In this case, following guidance to keep cats indoors would seem to give them additional protection against disease,” he said.

He suggested contacting the state’s Department of Agriculture with specific questions about animals and Avian influenza.

Avian influenza typically does not affect bird species that frequent backyard bird feeders. However owners should always exercise good hygiene when maintaining bird feeders and baths to prevent the spread of disease, information from the Game Commission stated.

More information about Avian Influenza is available on the Game Commission’s website.

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