LANSING, Mich. — State officials announced last week three goslings were confirmed to have highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), subtype H5N2. The disease was found in free-ranging Canada geese in Macomb County, which borders Detroit on the north side.
The announcement was made June 8; the goslings were collected the week prior in the city of Sterling Heights. The birds were delivered to the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Disease Laboratory for necropsy. Initial testing was done at Michigan State University’s Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health in Lansing.
Those tests were positive and the samples were forwarded to the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa, for final confirmation. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) and DNR received confirmation on June 6.
"While this is disappointing news that the H5N2 virus has been found in Michigan’s free-ranging bird population, it was not unexpected, given avian influenza has been found in a number of our neighboring states and Ontario," said MDARD Director Jamie Clover Adams.
"MDARD will continue to work hand-in-hand with our backyard and commercial poultry farmers to conduct surveillance testing and provide education, along with Michigan State University’s extension on implementing and stepping up on-farm biosecurity practices to protect the health of Michigan’s domestic poultry."
"There are no known detections of the disease in domestic poultry at this time," said James Averill, the state veterinarian, during a media call June 8.
Michigan is the 21st state to report a case of HPAI since December 2014. As of last week, there were 226 detections of HPAI across the country affecting approximately 50 million birds. Iowa and Minnesota have experienced the most cases; Minnesota is the No. 1 producer of turkeys in the United States and Iowa is the nation’s top producer of eggs.
Michigan DNR Director Keith Creagh said the state needs to focus on preventing the disease’s spread to domestic poultry. It is now doing a number of things to this end, including creation of an avian influenza Core Area, a 10-mile radius around confirmed positive cases of avian influenza.
It will also create an avian influenza Management Zone, which will include any counties that touch the Core Area. In this case, the Management Zone will include Macomb and Oakland counties. There will be special rules in these zones regarding the relocation of geese, increased surveillance for avian influenza and more strict biosecurity measures for contractors who handle geese and other waterfowl.
Regarding the disease’s potential to infect humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, avian influenza viruses usually do not infect humans; however, public health officials are vigilant in monitoring these viruses because they sometimes mutate and can become more infectious to people.
For those with a backyard flock of poultry, state officials recommend implementation of biosecurity measures, including disinfecting when going in between coops; washing hands and equipment between uses; not sharing equipment with other farmers or between coops; disinfecting boots and other gear when moving between coops; using well water or city water for birds and not allowing birds to drink surface water; keeping poultry feed secure so feed cannot be touched by wild birds or rodents; and preventing contact between wild birds and domestic birds.
Residents who notice the death loss of three or more free-ranging birds are asked to report it to the DNR at 517-336-5030. If someone with a domestic flock experiences severe illness or multiple death losses of birds, contact MDARD at 800-292-3939. For after-hours emergencies, call 517-373-0440.
For more information, consult www. michigan.gov/avianinfluenza or www. michigan.gov/aviandiseases
