What is the state currently doing to detect, monitor, and prevent AI in domestic and wild bird populations in Florida?
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regularly monitor Floridas domestic fowl for evidence of influenza. Although there can actually be sudden death of fowl without clinical signs, some obvious signs include: lack of energy and appetite, decreased egg production, misshapen eggs, swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles and hocks, nasal discharge, coughing and sneezing, lack of coordination and diarrhea. Many strains of AI cause no disease at all. Samples are regularly collected from exhibition or back yard flocks, live bird markets, and county fairs. Commercial poultry breeding flocks are sampled and tested every 90 days. In fact, the Departments Division of Animal Industry has had a testing program for more than 20 years but in the fall of 2005 expanded the testing to more than 21,000 randomly selected birds, a more than five fold increase over the previous year. An interagency HPAI Early Detection Working Group was formed to develop a national strategic pla
