The world
animal health organization, OIE, says the United States has informed it of a
third California farm infected with avian influenza.
So far the
U.S. Department of Agriculture has said nothing about it, other than informing
the OIE which posted the information on its website.
This case
is a different strain of avian influenza – H7N3 – which is in the low
pathogenic category. About 61,000 turkeys were infected a farm in Merced County.
The other
cases in California, Oregon, Washington State, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri and
Arkansas are a strain in the high pathogenetic category.
In the
latest case in California, a commercial tom turkey flock exhibited coughing
with a slight increase in mortality, according to the OIE report. The other
strain involved in outbreaks is much more deadly, wiping out entire flocks in a
few days.
The
infected premises were placed under quarantine following preliminary findings
and an epidemiological investigation was initiated. Follow-up surveillance and
testing on 10 nearby farms found negative results.
USDA’s
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service provided the information to OIE on
Tuesday, the report said.
