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Bird Flu Effort Includes Toll-Free And Online Reporting
Toll-free and online reporting systems are now part of Montana’s effort to detect the possible arrival of a virulent strain of bird flu that could be brought to North America via migrating waterfowl.
Montana citizens can report sick or dead birds via a toll free phone number, 1-866-608-5024, or online at FWP’s Avian Influenza Reporting. Wildlife technicians will contact those making reports to determine if further investigation is warranted.
"Samples from sick or dead wild birds could increase the probability of detecting the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus should it arrive in Montana," said Mark Atkinson, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife veterinarian in Bozeman.
FWP is working closely with the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out a surveillance program that focuses on finding highly pathogenic H5N1, a strain of avian influenza that is easily transmissible between, and frequently fatal to, domestic poultry.
Officials are gathering samples from about 2,000 wild shorebirds and waterfowl during normal waterfowl banding operations that take place each summer. About 1,000 environmental samples are also being collected where waterfowl concentrate, including urban duck flocks. Additional samples will be collected from harvested waterfowl through hunter field checks later this fall. The statewide effort will focus mostly on the Pacific Flyway, which is generally located in the western portion of Montana.
Wild birds are natural reservoirs for more than 140 avian influenza viruses that may be spread among birds through contact with secretions and feces of infected birds . These various strains naturally occur in wild species and usually cause little or no disease symptoms, Domestic chickens, however, can be more susceptible to certain avian influenza viruses, including highly pathogenic H5N1. In Asia, Europe and Africa most known cases of disease transmission to humans have been linked to direct handling of sick domestic poultry or infected carcasses. Public health officials stress that spread of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has yet to be linked with wild bird migrations and that all avian flu is primarily a disease of birds, not humans.
For more information, on wild birds and avian influenza visit FWP Avian Influenza website. For information on pandemic flu preparations visit Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services at www.pandemicflu.mt.gov .
Very interesting PDF
2006 Avian Influenza Early Detection Plan - Final (PDF 124 KB)
Toll-free and online reporting systems are now part of Montana’s effort to detect the possible arrival of a virulent strain of bird flu that could be brought to North America via migrating waterfowl.
Montana citizens can report sick or dead birds via a toll free phone number, 1-866-608-5024, or online at FWP’s Avian Influenza Reporting. Wildlife technicians will contact those making reports to determine if further investigation is warranted.
"Samples from sick or dead wild birds could increase the probability of detecting the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus should it arrive in Montana," said Mark Atkinson, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks wildlife veterinarian in Bozeman.
FWP is working closely with the federal Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to carry out a surveillance program that focuses on finding highly pathogenic H5N1, a strain of avian influenza that is easily transmissible between, and frequently fatal to, domestic poultry.
Officials are gathering samples from about 2,000 wild shorebirds and waterfowl during normal waterfowl banding operations that take place each summer. About 1,000 environmental samples are also being collected where waterfowl concentrate, including urban duck flocks. Additional samples will be collected from harvested waterfowl through hunter field checks later this fall. The statewide effort will focus mostly on the Pacific Flyway, which is generally located in the western portion of Montana.
Wild birds are natural reservoirs for more than 140 avian influenza viruses that may be spread among birds through contact with secretions and feces of infected birds . These various strains naturally occur in wild species and usually cause little or no disease symptoms, Domestic chickens, however, can be more susceptible to certain avian influenza viruses, including highly pathogenic H5N1. In Asia, Europe and Africa most known cases of disease transmission to humans have been linked to direct handling of sick domestic poultry or infected carcasses. Public health officials stress that spread of the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has yet to be linked with wild bird migrations and that all avian flu is primarily a disease of birds, not humans.
For more information, on wild birds and avian influenza visit FWP Avian Influenza website. For information on pandemic flu preparations visit Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services at www.pandemicflu.mt.gov .
Very interesting PDF
2006 Avian Influenza Early Detection Plan - Final (PDF 124 KB)