Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Two Sioux County Dairy Herds

 

DES MOINES, Iowa (June 21, 2024) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have detected cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in two dairy herds in Sioux County, Iowa. To date, the Department has announced ten detections of HPAI within dairy herds in Iowa.

About HPAI

HPAI is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic bird populations as well as lactating dairy cattle. HPAI can travel in wild birds without those birds appearing sick, but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. With supportive care, dairy cattle recover with little to no mortality associated with the disease.

Heightened Biosecurity  

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is strongly encouraging Iowa poultry producers and dairy farmers to bolster their biosecurity practices and protocols to protect their flocks and herds. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has biosecurity recommendations for dairy herds to utilize. In addition, the Department has numerous other biosecurity resources for poultry producers and livestock farms to reference on its website. Farmers or farm workers who interact regularly with both dairy and poultry or who interact frequently with other farm workers in poultry or dairy, should take extra precautions to limit possible transmissions.

Suspected Cases in Dairy

If dairy producers suspect cases of HPAI, they should contact their herd veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

Clinical signs of HPAI in dairy may include:

Decrease in food consumption with a simultaneous decrease in rumination 
Clear nasal discharge 
Drop in milk production 
Tacky or loose feces 
Lethargy 
Dehydration 
Fever 
Thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk 
 

Suspected Cases in Poultry

If poultry producers or those with backyard birds suspect signs of HPAI, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

Clinical signs of HPAI in birds may include:  

Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs 
Lethargy and/or lack of energy and appetite 
Decrease in egg production 
Soft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggs 
Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks 
Purple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs 
Difficulty breathing 
Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose) 
Stumbling and/or falling down 
Diarrhea 
 

Food Safety

There is no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products. Pasteurization has continually proven to successfully inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. It also remains safe to enjoy poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F.

Public Health

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to believe the threat to the general public remains low. Any questions related to public health should be directed to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services at alex.murphy@hhs.iowa.gov.

List of Confirmed Cases

As HPAI detections are confirmed by the National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) in Ames, those cases are added to tracking websites located on the USDA APHIS website.