What precautions to take?

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Ed Loschi
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Location: Tallahassee, Florida, USA

What precautions to take?

Post by Ed Loschi »

Hello,
What precautions are people taking, that maybe I should be taking too, because of impending H5N1, Avian Flu. This flu is expected to be in N. America next migratory season, which would be our winter this year.
I think I heard of the mega poultry farms vaccinating their flocks. Is there a safe vaccine for pet birds (Parrots) that anyone has learned about?
Thanks.
Mazziemom
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Post by Mazziemom »

Biosecurity Tips: 6 Ways To Prevent Poultry Disease 1. Keep Your Distance.
Restrict access to your property and your birds. Consider fencing off the area where your birds are to form a barrier between “clean” and “dirty” areas. The clean area is the immediate area surrounding your birds, and the dirty or buffer area must be considered to be infected with germs, even if the birds appear healthy and disease free.

Allow only people who take care of your birds to come into contact with them. Your caretakers should not attend bird shows or other events where birds are present. If visitors to your property want to see your birds, be sure they wash up first and clean their shoes. Better yet, keep clean boots for visitors to wear. If your visitors have birds of their own, do not let them near your birds at all.

Game birds and migratory waterfowl should not have contact with your flock because they can carry germs and diseases. If your birds are outdoors, try to keep them in a screened area.

2. Keep It Clean.

You wouldn’t think of tracking dirt and disease into your house, where it could infect your family. Don’t do that to your birds either! Germs can be picked up on shoes and clothing and moved from one area to another. To keep your birds “germ-free,” keep a pair of shoes and a set of clothes to wear only around your birds. Many people keep these clean clothes in a covered pail at the entrance to their bird area. Or, clean and disinfect your shoes and launder your clothes before you check on or work with your birds.

Scrubbing your shoes with a long-handled scrub brush and disinfectant (see section below on disinfectants) will remove droppings, mud, or debris. Clothes should be washed in a washing machine with laundry detergent.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap, water, and a disinfectant before entering your bird area.

Keep cages, food, and water clean on a daily basis. Clean and disinfect equipment that comes in contact with your birds or their droppings. That includes tools such as feed scoops, shovels, rakes, and brooms. All manure must be removed before disinfectant can work, so clean surfaces with soap and water first. Properly dispose of dead birds by burial or incineration or take them to a landfill. Check on local ordinances for acceptable disposal methods.

3. Don’t Haul Disease Home.

Car and truck tires, poultry cages, and equipment can all harbor “germs.” If you travel to a location where other birds are present, or even to the feed store, be sure to clean and disinfect these items before you return to your property.

Taking some of your birds to a fair or exhibition? Keep those birds separated from the rest of your flock and watch them for at least 2 weeks after the event to ensure that they didn’t pick up a disease.

New birds should be kept separate from your flock for at least 30 days before putting them with the rest of your birds. To prevent disease, it is best not to mix young and old birds or birds from different species or different sources.

4. Don’t Borrow Disease From Your Neighbor.

Do not share birds, lawn and garden equipment, tools, or poultry supplies with your neighbors or other bird owners. If you do bring these items home, clean and disinfect them before they reach your property. And remember to clean and disinfect borrowed items before returning them. Never share items such as wooden pallets or cardboard egg cartons because they are porous and cannot be adequately cleaned and disinfected.

5. Know the Warning Signs of Infectious Bird Diseases.

Many bird diseases can be difficult to diagnose. The list below includes some of the things to look for that signal something might be wrong with your birds. Early detection of signs is very important to prevent the spread of disease.

Sudden death Diarrhea Decreased or complete loss of egg production; soft-shelled, misshapen eggs Sneezing, gasping for air, nasal discharge, coughing Lack of energy and appetite Swelling of tissues around eyes and in neck Purple discoloration of the wattles, combs, and legs Depression, muscular tremors, drooping wings, twisting of head and neck, incoordination, complete paralysis 6. Report Sick Birds.

Do not wait to report unusual signs of disease or unexpected deaths among your birds. Call your agricultural extension agent, local veterinarian, the State Veterinarian, or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Veterinary Services office. USDA operates a toll-free hotline (1–866–536–7593) with veterinarians to help you. USDA wants to test sick birds to make sure they do not have a serious poultry disease. There is no charge for USDA veterinarians to work with you to conduct a disease investigation. Early reporting is important to protecting the health of your birds!

Disinfectants

Cleaning and disinfecting is one of the most important steps you can take in practicing backyard biosecurity. Below are some examples of disinfectants available on the market. Follow the directions on the label carefully for the best results.

Thoroughly clean and scrub objects before applying disinfectants. Disinfectants cannot work on top of caked-on dirt and manure, so thoroughly wash surfaces before disinfecting.

Apply disinfectants using brushes, sponges and spray units. Allow adequate contact time (follow manufacturer’s instructions.)

Dispose of used disinfectant according to local regulations.

Examples of Disinfectants

Roccal ®: Mix _ fluid oz of Roccal per gallon of water. Nolvasan® (chlorhexidine diacetate 2 percent): Mix 3 fluid oz of Nolvasan per gallon of water. Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite 6 percent): Mix _ cup of household bleach per gallon of water. Lysol ® spray for footwear Purell® hand pump for hand disinfection Note: Trade names mentioned here do not constitute an endorsement, guarantee, or warranty of these products. USDA bears no responsibility resulting from the use of the described products. These procedures are not guaranteed to prevent highly contagious diseases from affecting your birds; however, they will reduce the risks.

Why Be Concerned?

An outbreak of a bird disease such as exotic Newcastle disease or highly pathogenic avian influenza could not only harm or kill your birds, it could spread quickly and kill other nearby birds.

Early detection and reporting is the most important step in eradicating a disease outbreak. Don’t be afraid of “crying wolf.” State and Federal veterinarians want to hear about sick and dying birds.

There is no charge for USDA veterinarians to work with you to conduct a disease investigation. Call 1-866-536-7593.

You are the best protection your birds have!

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/birdbiosecurity/tips.html
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Mazziemom
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Post by Mazziemom »

US agencies report plans to detect H5N1 in birds Amy L. Becker Staff Writer
Mar 20, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – The chiefs of three federal agencies, predicting that the H5N1 avian influenza virus will enter the United States, today unveiled their joint plan for quickly detecting the virus.

"We're closely monitoring the rapid spread of the H5N1 virus overseas," said Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns. "We now believe it is likely that we will detect it within our borders in the United States. It is critically important to understand that the detection of this virus among birds will not signal the start of a pandemic among people. The time is now to expand our early warning system."

Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, along with Johanns, conducted a joint press conference today to prepare people for the possible arrival of the H5N1 virus in the US. The news conference was broadcast live via the Internet.

The interagency plan, which received final approval today, Johanns said, relies on a number of methods to screen wild birds, notably birds migrating along the Pacific flyway to and from Alaska.

The recent rapid spread of H5N1 in other countries underscores the likelihood of the virus spreading to the United States.

"It is increasingly likely that we will detect the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu in birds within the US borders, possibly as early as this year," Norton said. She outlined a plan for systematic monitoring of birds that includes:

Testing of sick or dead wild birds Testing of live wild birds, particularly the highest-risk species, using capture and sampling (not killing birds) Targeted sampling of hunter-killed birds Monitoring and testing of sentinel animals, including backyard poultry flocks and waterfowl placed in wetlands to mix with migratory birds Testing of environmental samples, including water and avian fecal samples Systematic investigation of sick or dead wild birds offers the highest probability of detecting H5N1 early, Norton added. Authorities expect to collect 75,000 to 100,000 samples for testing in 2006. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Interior Department have tested more than 16,000 birds in the Pacific and Atlantic flyways since 1998, according to a news release. The birds have all tested negative for the lethal H5N1 strain, but 22 low-pathogenicity avian flu isolates have been identified.

Samples will be tested at the appropriate laboratories, Norton said, but she cautioned that initial positive tests are considered presumptive, not definitive. Positive samples will be sent to the USDA's national laboratory in Ames, Iowa, for confirmatory testing.

"We anticipate that presumptive H5N1 results may be announced 20 to 100 times this year," she said. There could be dozens of reports of H5N1 without any highly pathogenic strains, she added.

Discussing how the agencies will collaborate, Johanns said:

The Interior Department will monitor wild birds through the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the US Geological Survey (USGS), as well as the National Park Service (NPS). The USDA has a connection to wild birds through its Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Agricultural Research Service, although its main focus is domestic flocks. HHS is chiefly responsible for human health. Johanns also described efforts to prevent the possible spread of H5N1 virus from wild to domestic birds.

"None of us can build a cage around the United States," he said. He emphasized that the nation's $29 billion poultry system is highly biosecure, so the presence of H5N1 in migratory birds does not necessarily mean that commercial poultry will be infected. Further, he said the US has demonstrated an ability to handle outbreaks of highly pathogenic viruses, even as recently as 2004.

In addition, producers will be compensated for destroyed birds, and they have demonstrated that they'll notify the government at the first signs of illness among their birds, he said.

"Unlike what we have seen in some countries, where producers are reluctant to report the virus because of economic losses, our producers know their loss will be covered if they call us," Johanns said. Although he mentioned the possibility of limited vaccination in a ring around affected areas, he said culling of infected flocks would be the chief approach to eliminating the virus if it reaches commercial poultry.

Leavitt provided an overview of preparations for a human pandemic that hewed closely to his talks at pandemic meetings in several states. He reiterated a point made by all three secretaries as they sought to prepare people for the arrival of the virus in US birds without provoking undue fear or panic.

"At this point, if you're a bird, it's a pandemic," Leavitt said. "If you're a human being, it's not. It's as simple as that."

See also:

USDA news release about the interagency briefing

Link to recorded Webcast http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdahome

Full text of US strategy for early detection of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in wild birds, Mar 13, 2006 (91 pages) http://www.usda.gov/documents/wildbirds ... lanpdf.pdf

Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy Academic
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Mazziemom
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Post by Mazziemom »

The FACTS
Stop chasing a phantom flu March 20, 2006 Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... ry/Comment

Richard Schabas, Ontario's chief medical officer of health from 1987 to 1997, and currently chief of staff at York Central Hospital in Richmond Hill, Ont., writes in this op-ed that Ontario hospitals are planning to spend up to $25-million this year -- enough to employ 300 nurses -- to stockpile the antiviral drug Tamiflu to protect their staff against an influenza pandemic. The provincial government is amending its emergency powers so that in the event of a pandemic, physicians will be compelled to provide services or face imprisonment.

Prudent and appropriate preparations for an impending pandemic? Schabas says they are a manifestation of a mass hysteria that has lost all touch with its tenuous scientific underpinnings. The crux of the issue is whether the H5N1 avian influenza virus is about to transform itself into a highly infectious human disease. The disaster prophets have been predicting exactly this eventuality since 1997. Schabas says this scenario has always been speculative and, with each passing day, becomes less and less likely. H5N1 is bad news for birds but, as a human pandemic, it's just another false alarm.

Schabas goes on to say that whatever changes H5N1 was going to undergo with regard to human infection, they most certainly haven't happened quickly. Surely, any open-minded scientist should question whether these changes are going to happen soon, if at all.

Of course, there are vested interests that benefit from pandemic fear. Public-health agencies, such as the WHO, and a ménage of self-proclaimed experts, get personal profile and corporate financing by stirring pandemic fears.

We have emergency planners whose livelihood depends on a steady stream of perceived threats. They want us to be ready. Whether we need to be ready is not their department.

The media loves H5N1 because it provides an inexhaustible source of copy, complete with lurid photographs of dead chickens and people in containment suits. But the talking heads who sounded the alarm about an imminent H5N1 pandemic in 1997 and again in 2003, not to mention the mooted SARS pandemic, Ebola and many other false alarms, are the same voices warning of impending catastrophe today. When is the media going to stop reporting their predictions so uncritically? The most striking aspect of the medical debate about H5N1 is that there isn't one. Doctors are usually a cantankerous and skeptical bunch. They pride themselves on being evidence-based, requiring experiments or strong and consistent observations to be persuaded. The H5N1 warnings meet neither of these criteria and yet are accepted unquestioningly. H5N1 has been the biggest global health story of the past three years and yet none of the world's great medical journals has shown any appetite for a critical review of its precepts.

What should we do?

A human influenza pandemic is likely to occur some time in the next 40 years. There is no reliable scientific basis for predicting its timing, severity or the precise virus likely to trigger it. We should make prudent but limited preparations for this pandemic by enhancing our capacity to produce influenza vaccine and improving our surveillance for new strains of influenza virus. Ontario hospitals need those 300 nurses more than they need the Tamiflu stockpile.

And we should calm down, stop chasing phantoms and spend our efforts tackling the myriad of real problems that we actually do face.
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Mazziemom
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Post by Mazziemom »

FDA may ban use of flu antivirals in poultry Mar 21, 2006 (CIDRAP News) – Veterinarians could not give poultry the same antiviral drugs being stockpiled the world over to battle a human influenza pandemic, under a rule proposed yesterday by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA is proposing to ban the extralabel use of adamantanes and neuraminidase inhibitors in poultry. Adamantanes (amantadine and rimantadine) and neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir and zanamivir) are approved for treating influenza in people. Under the proposal, the rule would take effect Jun 20.

No drugs are approved to treat or prevent influenza in poultry, but the two classes of flu antivirals can be used legally for animals under the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994, the FDA news release said. However, that law also allows FDA to prohibit certain extralabel uses in animals if they would pose a risk to human health.

"FDA has considered all available information and has concluded that the extralabel use of anti-influenza adamantane and neuraminidase inhibitor drugs in chickens, turkeys, and ducks presents a risk to public health," the FDA said. The agency added it could ban the use of those drugs in other animals as well.

The FDA is not aware of such use of antivirals in the United States, the news release said. However, international organizations have raised concerns about such activities, because they could lead to emergence of resistant strains of flu. Chinese farmers reportedly used amantadine on poultry in 2005, raising concerns about human resistance.

FDA is inviting comments on the proposed rule until May 22. (See news release link below for details on submitting comments.)

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Mar 17 released details about the current recommendations for using oseltamivir (Tamiflu) to treat people for avian influenza. The statement contains little new information, but it underscores how little is known about the use of oseltamivir in human H5N1 cases, even though neuraminidase inhibitors are considered the best defense short of a vaccine.

"There is no direct clinical trial evidence that shows that oseltamivir is effective in human H5N1 disease because such studies have not yet been conducted," the WHO said. "Without such trials, the optimal dose and duration of oseltamvir treatment is uncertain in H5N1 disease and therefore doses of oseltamivir used for seasonal human influenza continue to be recommended."

The agency said prospective studies are "needed urgently" to determine the optimal oseltamivir regimen for human H5N1 disease. Severely ill patients might benefit from a longer or higher-dose regimen than is currently recommended, but there is no clear evidence at this point, the statement said. The standard treatment regimen for adults is 75 milligrams twice a day for 5 days.

The WHO also said studies are needed to better define the proper oseltamivir regimen for preventing H5N1 in people who have been exposed to the virus.

See also

FDA news release on the use of flu antivirals in poultry http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01339.html

WHO’s Mar 17 statement on use of oseltamivir

Jun 24, 2005, CIDRAP News story about China’s use of amantadine
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Mazziemom
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Post by Mazziemom »

Ok, now you guys have way too much info on the bird flu... but hey its better than none.

Athena
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natalie
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thats gr8

Post by natalie »

Athene thats gr8, we can refer bak to it when and if we need to, lets hope we dont. It such a worr, we live in a marina thats frequented by migrational birds at different times of the year. So i make every one take there shoes of b4 they come in.And we havent been to feed the birds for ages,wont even go down onto the marina anymore. Its such a shame because we would spend many an afternoon watching the narrow boats chug past and feed the birds. Maybe im being a bit paranoid but france isnt to far from us really. im sure im not the only one who has already started to take precautions !!!! natalie xx :cry:
To handle yourself use your head, to handle others use your heart.xx
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Neokireina
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Post by Neokireina »

Even if it is just the media blowing things out of proportion as usual. It's better that people know and even better still to be over prepared than under prepared.
natalie
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Its awful,

Post by natalie »

Listen you wouldnt believe the ammount of people here in england who are gettin rid of there parrots because of bird flu [not sure if we over paraniod cos of mad cow desiese] anyway on all the classified ads pages there are dozens and dozens of parrots 4 sale, there was even an item about it on the news. How can these people give up there fids. And they seem more concerned about how much money they going to get rather than a suitable home, makes me soooo mad :evil: :evil: :evil: Anyway had to get that of my chest, its only you guys that really care. :) so glad i found a home with you all. Natalie xx
To handle yourself use your head, to handle others use your heart.xx
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Ed Loschi
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Location: Tallahassee, Florida, USA

Post by Ed Loschi »

Thank you Mazziemom for all the info and links these are going to be very helpful. I'm going to find out more about amantadine from my local bird groups and an avian vet. My concern is for my fid (that is a nice word to use) not me; personally I think, should the N5H1 become a human virus, I'll be able to fight it off and recuperate...the fid is another matter.
The USDA, IMHO, is not at any level concerned with the pet bird industry or much less pet bird owners. The USDA is strictly looking out for agricultural business and in this case the mega gigantic poultry house farms. But by God if your bird was ill and reported to them they'll kill it for sure to autopsy even if it were not dying from avian flu.
A wee little HO rant.
Thanks again for the info...there is never too much info as far as I'm concerned...keep it coming.
Jade
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Post by Jade »

Natalie - I can't believe that people are giving up their birds!!!! I mean - how selfish can they be? Are they going to give away their human children next when they have measles or headlice?

STUPID PEOPLE MAKE ME SO MAD :x
natalie
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I know Jade i could hardley believe it myself

Post by natalie »

Its hard to believe isnt it, but im afraid its true , my mum phoned me to tell me about it so i watched on the news and saw it for myself.
Im sure everyone is major paranoid because of the B.S.E [mad cow deisiese]. We were all so shocked by how quikly it spread and how little control we had. It wasnt that long ago !!!
What the parott owners are worried about is if there bird gets it and passes it on the the kids. But i know everyone who posts on here from england loves there fids as much as there kids [sometimes more, :lol: ] so there is no chance of any of us giving up our babys. If it came to it i have a room marley and i could share together,alone. [no more daily chores] just me and my qaureteened babe. But wot an awful shame for all those other babys who's lives will be turned upside down :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:
To handle yourself use your head, to handle others use your heart.xx
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