Cage your poultry, buy safe meat to fight bird flu

An outbreak of Avian Influenza (bird flu) in Uganda puts poultry in Kenya at risk of contracting the deadly disease. Dr Victor Yamo, the council chairman of Kenya Veterinary Association, demystifies the disease and explains steps to keep yourself and birds safe.

Uganda has reported an Avian Influenza (bird flu) outbreak, causing panic including in Kenya. What is bird flu and how deadly is it?
It is an infection of birds with Avian Influenza Type A viruses.

The viruses can be classified as Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
The viruses occur naturally in the intestines and respiratory tracts of migratory wild aquatic birds worldwide without any signs of disease.

However, the infected wild birds shed the pathogens in their saliva, nasal secretions and faeces. Susceptible domestic poultry and animal species become infected when they come into contact with the virus or contaminated surfaces.

People also get bird flu when they come into contact with infected birds or contaminated surfaces.

HPAI virus causes respiratory distress, blood-tinged discharge from nostrils, diarrhoea, bluish discolouration of wattles and comb, incoordination, lack of the ability to stand and swelling of head, comb wattles and hock joint with high mortality.

The disease is not treatable and can wipe out an entire poultry industry if not controlled. In human, the disease is also infectious and the process of treating is lengthy as in the case of Ebola.

As a farmer, how can I know whether my birds have been affected by the virus or other poultry diseases such as Newcastle?

The symptoms listed above are not specific to the Avian Influenza and can be confused with several common poultry diseases.

A farmer should consult a qualified veterinary practitioner to make the diagnosis.

What precautions should farmers take to keep the disease at bay?

Report any cases of mass deaths in both domestic and wild birds to the nearest veterinary authority and desist from touching, handling or eating any domestic or wild birds found dead.

For farmers especially those keeping backyard poultry, house the birds immediately to avoid or reduce interaction with wild birds.

Commercial farmers should ensure their poultry units are rodent and bird proofed by using the appropriate wire mesh and closing the doors to the units to keep out the wild birds.

They should also improve biosecurity and hygiene.

For consumers, buy poultry meat and eggs from reputable sources where one is assured of high standards of hygiene.

Chicken should be slaughtered humanely and hygienically in approved slaughter places managed by authorised meat inspectors and public health officials.

Finally, ensure that chicken meat or eggs are properly cooked.

How is the outbreak likely to affect the country’s poultry industry?

The impact of the current outbreak in Uganda will depend on how the situation is handled by key players within the industry itself.

However, provisions in individual country action plans will have an impact on the performance of poultry industries.

Kenya and Rwanda have banned importation of poultry products (chicks, meat and eggs) from Uganda.

The immediate impact is a short fall of poultry products that they have been importing from Uganda which will lead to an increase in prices of the commodities locally.

If the disease spreads to Kenya, then the poultry industry would face massive losses arising from deaths of the chickens.