REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Ohio poultry owners need to take extra precautions and  monitor their birds for signs of illness. Recent announcements have confirmed the presence of the highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza in commercial turkey flocks in the Mississippi migratory bird flyway.

These recommendations were given out of an abundance of caution – there have been no detections in Ohio so far, and no human infections are associated with these viruses, said Dr. Tony Forshey, state veterinarian.

“No birds (with the illness) have been found in Ohio,” he said. “This started on the West Coast in the Pacific Flyway in Washington, Oregon and California. It moved into the Mississippi Flyway and all the Midwest states. These viruses are being transmitted, we think, by wild migratory birds.”

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) first confirmed an avian influenza in the Pacific migratory bird flyway, in wild birds and poultry flocks in Washington, Oregon and Idaho beginning in late 2014, according to the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA).

The recent announcements of positives in commercial turkey flocks in Arkansas, Minnesota and Missouri, all in the Mississippi Flyway, indicate migratory birds may be carrying the virus east of the Mississippi River. The mortality in those affected states was high; turkeys seem to be a bit more susceptible, Forshey said.

“We took some precautionary steps and asked poultry flocks and backyard flocks to increase their biosecurity,” Forshey said. “We want to try to limit the spread of this disease.”

Also, birds can shed the virus through their feces. If people have farm ponds or other places where migratory birds gather, they should be cautious walking in those areas.

Good biosecurity practices for poultry owners include:

•Monitor flocks for unusual signs of illness, such as “snicking” (sneezing,) a 1 percent or more decrease in egg production or an increase in mortality. Other signs to look for are wheezing, lethargy and depression.

•Practice personal biosecurity and avoid contact with sick/dead poultry or wildlife. If contact occurs, wash your hands with soap and water and change clothing before having any contact with healthy domestic poultry and birds.

•Keep unauthorized visitors from having contact with poultry, a good practice whether or not there is a disease threat. Authorized people should be required to wear protective clothing and shoes before entering a commercial poultry house.

•Avoid contact between your birds and wild birds whenever possible because of the likely migratory nature of HPAI H5. These virus strains can travel in wild birds without them appearing sick.

•Clean and disinfect farm vehicles or equipment before moving them on and off your property.

“It is important to remember that there have been no human infections associated with these viruses. It is perfectly safe to keep eating poultry and eggs,” Forshey said. “Cooking poultry, including game birds, to the proper temperature and preventing cross-contamination between raw and cooked food is always recommended to protect against viruses and bacteria.”

Sick birds or unusual bird deaths should also be immediately reported to the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health, at 614-728-6220 or through APHIS’ toll-free number at 866-536-7593. Additional information on biosecurity can be found by visiting www.ohioagriculture.gov

For more national information about avian influenza, visit the APHIS website at http://1.usa.gov/1MDt5ql and even more information can be found on the USDA’s site at http://1.usa.gov/18t1E5p