U.S. Prepares For Avian Influenza

The Avian Influenza (AI) -- the bird flu -- is a disease caused by a virus that infects domestic poultry, and spread by wild birds (geese and ducks and shorebirds). Each year, there is a bird flu season just as there is for humans and, as with people, some forms of the flu are worse than others.

The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu has been found in an increasing number of countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. Currently, H5N1 avian influenza is not present in the United States. It is likely the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain will spread to this country, and the U.S. Government is taking steps to prepare for and minimize the impact of bird flu.

The U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture have proactive interagency efforts underway to test poultry and monitor wild migratory birds in the United States and to test statistically significant samples of populations of various migratory bird species for avian influenza.

USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service works with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Customs and Border Protection at major U.S. air and seaports to inspect, examine and regulate the importation of live poultry, commercial birds, pet birds and/or "hatching eggs."

Knowing the facts is the best preparation. So, if a pandemic does occur, preparedness and information will be critical. Information is available at http://www.pandemicflu.gov.