5 things you should know about avian influenza

Time and time again, communities across the globe are faced with outbreaks of bird flu. Boehringer Ingelheim stands with poultry farmers and veterinarians and supports the effort against this infectious disease. While biosecurity measures and surveillance are currently the most common prevention methods, vaccination can expand the set of control measures. Here is what else you need to know about avian influenza:

1. What is avian influenza?

Avian influenza, most known as avian flu or bird flu, is a highly contagious viral disease affecting domestic and wild birds. It is easily spread by the contact of saliva, nasal secretion, and feces of contaminated birds. The virus is classified by its pathogenicity as Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). While low pathogenic virus infections cause varying symptoms in birds, highly pathogenic strains are very damaging to poultry.

2. What happens to birds once they get infected with avian influenza?

Birds infected with low pathogenic bird flu mostly show mild and inconspicuous symptoms like decreased food consumption, respiratory signs like coughing and sneezing or fewer eggs laid. Birds that fall ill with highly pathogenic avian influenza, show purple discoloration, swelling, lack of coordination, diarrhea and more. After a rapid spread of the disease, many birds die in a very short amount of time.

3. Why is avian influenza a burden for poultry farmers?

If avian influenza cases occur in poultry flocks in countries where the disease is not constantly present (non-endemic), poultry owners often must cull all birds to stop the spread of the virus and protect other poultry flocks. This leads to millions of dead birds and significant commercial losses with a long-lasting impact on the livelihoods of poultry farmers.

4. Is avian influenza a threat to food security?

Poultry meat and eggs are known as affordable and accessible sources of animal protein – if these sources become rare, this might impact food security globally, particularly for low-income households.

5. How does Boehringer Ingelheim support the global effort against avian influenza?

Boehringer Ingelheim is a global leader in avian influenza prevention with a modern portfolio of vaccines to protect flocks against different strains of the disease. Beyond our products, we offer veterinary and biosecurity expertise to the specific needs of health authorities and the poultry industry.