Update on the Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak of 2014-2015

The U.S. poultry industry is experiencing a severe outbreak of highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has reported 223 cases of HPAI in domestic flocks in 15 states. With the start of summer, the finding of new cases slowed. The last reported new case was in Iowa on June 17, 2015. More than 48 million chickens, turkeys, and other poultry have been euthanized to stem the spread of the disease. Cases have been caused by several highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza (AI) strains that result in substantial mortality in domestic poultry. Turkey and egg-laying hen farms in Minnesota and Iowa have been hardest hit. Commercial broiler farms have not been affected to date. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no infections in humans have been associated with the HPAI outbreak, and the public health risk is low. Under the Animal Health Protection Act (AHPA; 7 U.S.C. §8301 et seq.), APHIS, in cooperation with state and local animal health officials, has the authority to take extraordinary measures, such as seizing, restricting movement, or euthanizing animals to protect the health of animals. During the current outbreak, APHIS has paid to euthanize poultry, clean and disinfect poultry premises and equipment, and then test for the AI virus to ensure poultry farms can be safely repopulated. USDA has indemnified poultry owners for euthanized poultry. USDA has received approval to use nearly $700 million in additional funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) to address HPAI. As of July 7, 2015, APHIS has committed over $500 million of the $700 million to help producers control the spread of HPAI, including $190 million for indemnity payments. The agency is committed to covering cleaning and disinfecting costs on affected farms. The cost of the HPAI outbreak to the poultry industry is high. The value of turkey and laying hen losses is estimated at nearly $1.6 billion. Economy-wide losses are estimated at $3.3 billion. Since the HPAI outbreak in December 2014, 18 U.S. trading partners have imposed bans on all shipments of U.S. poultry and products, and 38 trading partners have imposed partial, or regional, bans on shipments from states or parts of states with HPAI cases. China, Russia, and South Korea, 3 of the top 10 destinations for U.S. poultry meat in 2014, have banned all imports of U.S. poultry. It is believed that an HPAI outbreak is likely to occur again in the fall when wild birds begin their migrations through the four flyways. This may result in more spread of AI, possibly in the poultry-producing eastern and southeastern regions untouched by the current outbreak. APHIS and the poultry industry are taking lessons from the current outbreak to prepare for the fall. USDA is developing a vaccine to be available for manufacture if the agency decides to adopt a vaccination policy to manage any future outbreak. APHIS and the poultry industry are reassessing biosecurity, indemnity payment formulas, and other measures that aim to improve the containment and elimination process.