A recent update from the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has highlighted the emergence of two fresh outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) within the commercial poultry sector in Peru.
One of the impacted facilities is a duck fattening farm located in Chancay, while the other is a laying hen facility situated in Grocio Prado.
Authorities responsible for animal health surveillance became aware of the outbreak in Grocio Prado following an unusual spike in bird mortalities. Within the affected flock, an alarming count of 360 deceased birds, 30 ailing ones, and 6,110 apparently healthy birds were identified. The diseased birds exhibited various distressing symptoms, including weakness, prostration, cyanosis, and eyelid edema.
Subsequent testing confirmed the presence of HPAI among the hens in this flock. In the interest of containment, the 6,140 remaining birds were humanely euthanized and safely disposed of. Stringent control measures, including the official disposal of byproducts and waste, zoning, and thorough disinfection, were promptly enacted.
The Chancay farm came under scrutiny when ducks on the premises began to manifest troubling symptoms. These afflicted birds displayed signs of blindness, prostration, opisthotonos, diarrhea, and dyspnea. Out of the 4,000 birds housed at the facility, 500 had succumbed to the illness. Diagnostic testing confirmed the presence of HPAI, necessitating the humane euthanasia of the remaining 3,500 ducks.
Comprehensive measures were enacted, encompassing the official disposal of carcasses, byproducts, and waste, alongside zoning and rigorous disinfection protocols.
With the emergence of these recent outbreaks, WOAH has reported a substantial loss of 253,404 poultry in Peru alone. Significantly, the virus has also been detected in wild bird populations and even in a lioness within a zoo setting. It's noteworthy that the first instance of HPAI in Peru was recorded in November 2022.
Turning to other parts of South America, WOAH has provided fresh insights into the HPAI situation in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. However, it's worth noting that these incidents did not involve poultry.
In Brazil, the newly reported cases revolve around four royal terns, two Cabot’s terns, one South American tern, and one manx shearwater.
In both Argentina and Uruguay, the virus has exclusively affected sea lions. Argentina has reported the loss of 108 of these animals due to HPAI infection, while Uruguay has mourned the loss of three sea lions.
As these avian influenza updates continue to evolve, monitoring and containment efforts remain critical in safeguarding both animal and public health.
🚨 Our paper is out now in Biological Conservation. More than 100,000 wild birds died in protected areas of Peru due to avian influenza (H5N1). We show data from the initial detection of the H5N1 virus from November 2022 to mid-March 2023 https://t.co/hBwaSnK1Eg #ornithology 1/4 pic.twitter.com/L8n7m9rzrn
— Víctor Gamarra Toledo (@victorgamarrat) September 18, 2023
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