New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has launched an online platform for the public to report suspected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in wild birds. The platform was designed as part of an ongoing effort to monitor HPAI in New York.
HPAI continues to infect birds and mammals across the United States and Canada, including New York. The first detection of HPAI in New York State was in a backyard poultry flock in Suffolk County in February 2022. Since 2022, HPAI has been detected in free-ranging wild birds and wild mammals throughout the state and in captive birds in several counties.
HPAI is caused by an influenza type A virus that is carried by free-flying waterfowl and other waterbirds such as ducks, geese, and shorebirds, but can also infect domestic poultry (chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, domestic ducks, geese, and guinea fowl), raptors, corvids (crows and ravens), and mammals.
Recently, there have been a number of cases in dairy cattle in several states. Some infected wild birds can carry these viruses without getting sick, but domestic poultry and many species of wild birds get sick and often die from these viruses. Songbirds and other passerine birds do not appear to be highly susceptible to infection.
The new link for reporting observations can be found on DEC’s Animal Diseases webpage. Once a report is received, DEC’s field response is guided by the report’s details, including the number of sick or dead birds, bird species, and observations from new areas where HPAI has not yet been documented.
Of particular interest are reports of suspected outbreaks in all species of waterfowl, raptors, crows, shorebirds, and other waterbirds such as gulls, loons, and herons. These species are known HPAI vectors, particularly vulnerable to the disease, when testing can help DEC track HPAI prevalence on the landscape.
HPAI is widespread in wild birds and mammals, so not all reports will result in DEC retrieving the animals for testing and/or disposal. The public can help minimize risk and limit disease spread by preventing contact between domestic animals and wild birds.
In cases where DEC field staff are not responding to collect samples or carcasses from the landscape, the public should limit contact with dead wildlife and keep domestic animals away.
If removal of carcasses is deemed necessary, the public is reminded to wear disposable gloves, a mask, and eye protection. Avoid direct contact with the carcass or carcass fluids by using a shovel and washing hands and clothing immediately after with soap and hot water.
Carcasses should be triple bagged (garbage or contractor bags) and placed in an outdoor trash receptacle.
People with close or prolonged unprotected contact with infected birds or virus-contaminated environments are at greater risk of infection.
Illustration: Generalized ecology of avian-origin influenza A (AI) viruses showing common directionality of cross-species transmission events, including those for highly pathogenic (HP) phenotypes (Journal of Wildlife Management, 2022).
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