IOWA, USA — Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), commonly referred to as bird flu, is seeing an uptick in cases for the first time since April 2023 — and Iowa's flocks are contributing to that rising total.
Buena Vista, Chickasaw, Pocahontas and Guthrie counties have all reported HPAI in flocks of birds in 2023, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Three of those Iowa reports happened just in October, as rising cases caused concern in places like South Dakota and Utah.
Before October's influx of reports, bird flu had appeared sporadically in populations of wild birds or backyard flocks across the nation.
Here's when and how Bird Flu was reported in Iowa this year:
- Jan. 25: Buena Vista, commercial turkey
- March 14: Chickasaw, backyard mixed species
- Oct. 20: Buena Vista, commercial turkey
- Oct. 23: Pocahontas, commercial turkey
- Oct. 23: Guthrie, backyard mixed species
According to CDC data, HPAI has been detected in nearly 60 million birds nationwide as of Oct. 11, 2023.
Nearly the entire country has been impacted in some way from the virus, with 47 states affected and 845 outbreaks reported across the United States. When a bird is infected, the entire flock is slaughtered to prevent the spread.
Look out for this in your birds:
- 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
If you notice any of those symptoms in a flock, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship asks you to report it to them and seek veterinary care immediately.