Warning about the increase in cases of avian influenza in American countries

     The National Service for Agrifood Health and Quality (Senasa) received a communication from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which alerts the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean due to the increased risk of spreading highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)

     HPAI is a disease that affects domestic and wild birds, which can be spread through their feces and respiratory secretions. From September 21 to date, cases have increased in the Americas, mainly due to the beginning of the migratory season.

     During this period, the United States reported 80 outbreaks: 44 on commercial farms, while the remaining 36 were identified as non-commercial outbreaks. For its part, Canada reported 72 outbreaks of HPAI in the last two months; Peru has detected at least 13 cases in domestic birds since August 2024 and Colombia recently confirmed its first outbreak of the year on a backyard farm.

     In view of this, Senasa recommends that national poultry establishments reinforce all the management, hygiene and biosecurity measures of their farms:

• Check their bird nets.

• Increase the cleanliness of areas where fecal matter from wild birds accumulates.

• Minimize visits from outsiders.

• Keep a record of them and prevent contact with neighboring animals or other species.

• Reduce or eliminate areas of stagnant water that may attract wild birds.

• Do not take measures to control or frighten birds, such as hunting or destroying their habitat.

     Likewise, backyard poultry keepers must restrict the access of wild birds to the water and food sources of their family chicken coops. Immediate action by the health service minimises the consequences and optimises intervention, while making it possible to control this type of disease before it establishes and spreads

     On the other hand, Senasa carries out controls on Argentine routes to transport food, live animals and plant products, in which they verify the sanitary documentation of the cargo, its condition and conditioning; and the authorization of the vehicle, in the corresponding cases. These actions pursue the objective of safeguarding the public health of consumers and maintaining the sanitary status of our country's agricultural productions in order to promote their development and positioning in the international market.