How can Avian Influenza be prevented? — AQAI
Avian Influenza(AI), a disease affecting bird lungs, can attack multiple different bird species. The virus is thought to originate from migratory birds. Type A viruses of AI can be classified into low and high pathogenic strength according to the seriousness of sickness observed.
Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI): A majority of AI virus strains come under LPAI and only slight symptoms such as swollen face or breathing problems are seen in affected birds. However, it has to be closely supervised as two of its strains, H5 and H7 can mutate into severe infections if proper control is not exercised.
High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI): This is a severe and life-threatening variant of Avian Influenza which has the capacity to escalate rapidly between individual birds or among groups with high mortality rates. One million birds can be affected with AI through even a gram of infected fertilizer or bird droppings.
How does AI spread?
The virus travels from infected to normal birds through saliva,mucus and droppings. It can also pass through contact between domestic birds and wild ones, unhygienic transportation of birds, infected crates, pens, clothes and footwear of infected humans. It can exist in air under normal temperature for quite a few weeks but dies due to lack of water or exposure to sun.
The typical symptoms are sudden death, lethargy , listlessness, reduction in egg production, thin-shelled or deformed eggs, ballooning of head, crown, eyelids, legs along with color reduction,runny nose, cough, allergies, problems in movement and watery stools.
How can AI be prevented?
However, vaccination as the sole means to combat disease cannot lead to eradication. It needs to be organized, coordinated and accompanied by disease monitoring and eradication plans. Sanitary and biosecurity practices work hand-in-hand with vaccination to achieve an AI-free flock of poultry in the farm.
Infected birds should be kept in isolation and usage of water bodies, feeding equipment, interaction between domestic and wild birds and visits to live bird stalls should be stopped. The numbers of cats, rats, insects should be reduced. Sudden abnormal deaths of birds should be investigated and verified. Interaction of owners with their birds should be halted. Lending or borrowing equipment should be stopped and if done,cleaning and sanitizing is a must.
Till a veterinarian is contacted,no humans or machinery should be allowed near the birds and surroundings. Once anyone is exposed to the infected birds or area, they should bathe and sanitise their clothes,shoes each time. The local veterinarian should be invited to check sick birds and verify any new diseases as symptoms may be same for some diseases and cannot be specific.
Control of AI and checking its advance is achieved by destroying a group of birds when infected birds are noticed and vaccinating healthy birds. At Aqai, we take pride in ensuring that all the poultry we brood, are fully vaccinated with antivirals and are given the best feed to ensure healthy growth. When you invest in oultry from Aqai, you can be rest assured that they will ensure livelihood for a lifetime.
“ Aqgromalin provides quality chicks from certified and hygienic hatcheries. You can order from our website (aqai.in) or from the AQAI app — “
Originally published at https://www.aqai.in.
