How is Asian H5N1 avian influenza different?
Unlike the strains of avian influenza native to North America, the Asian H5N1 strain can arrive in a form ready to kill chickens, turkeys and other gallinaceous birds. It does not need to cycle in a large flock of poultry before gaining the ability to kill large numbers of birds. This strain of virus can jump from wild waterfowl to your small flock of poultry and start to rapidly kill your birds immediately. This virus has spread from southeast Asia to Russia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East but has not yet been identified in North America. The Asian H5N1 strain of avian influenza is a significant concern because it has demonstrated a very limited ability to infect people. If this strain mutates to a form that can readily infection people, the human health consequences could be severe.
