{"675723":{"#nid":"675723","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Avian Flu Could Pose Significant Threat to Georgia\u2019s Poultry Farms","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe recent outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) virus has raised concerns among poultry producers and food safety experts. The virus is highly contagious among birds and poses a significant risk despite stringent biosecurity measures, according to Georgia Tech food safety and agriculture expert \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/faces-research-meet-wendy-white\u0022\u003EWendy White\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIn states that are a major poultry producer, like Georgia, backyard flocks are also extremely common, and we\u0027ve seen outbreaks spread from the home to larger commercial flocks in this manner,\u201d said White.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EShe emphasized that while the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/bird-flu\/spotlights\/h5n1-response-07192024.html#:~:text=The%20two%20new%20cases%20were,U.S.%20general%20public%20remains%20low.\u0022\u003ECenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)\u003C\/a\u003E has categorized the risk of HPAI H5N1 to the human population as low, it remains crucial for poultry farms to implement critical biosecurity practices. These include restricting access of flocks to wild birds by confining them to chicken houses and covered coops, limiting visitors, and implementing strict hygiene protocols for employees and equipment.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAmerican poultry farms have already implemented several of the CDC-recommended biosecurity measures to stop and prevent the spread of aviation influenza,\u201d \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gamep.org\/industry-focus-areas\/food-beverage\/\u0022\u003EWhite\u003C\/a\u003E said. \u201cVisiting commercial chicken houses is often more involved than visiting someone in the ICU. Visitors and employees are required to don personal protective equipment, such as boots and jumpsuits, that are dedicated to that farm.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERegarding Georgia\u2019s preparedness to handle a significant H5N1 outbreak, White expressed confidence but acknowledged the need for ongoing vigilance and improvements.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cGeorgia is among the top five chicken producers in the country and home to a diverse population of wild birds, so there is a significant risk that sporadic cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza could spread and cause a major outbreak,\u201d White stated. \u201cFederal and state agencies, and Georgia poultry producers are working closely together to identify any cases and take swift action to stop the spread of any aviation influenza.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWith such collaborative efforts, White added, Georgia aims to maintain rigorous measures to protect its poultry industry and ensure public safety.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAdvancements in food processing and handling also play a vital role in mitigating the risks of HPAI H5N1 contamination in the poultry supply chain.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.aphis.usda.gov\/livestock-poultry-disease\/avian\/avian-influenza\u0022\u003EUSDA\u003C\/a\u003E has stated that poultry, eggs, and other foods that are properly prepared and cooked are safe to eat,\u201d White noted. \u201cLaboratory studies have shown that normal cooking practices for meat and eggs, and pasteurization for dairy products, are sufficient to kill this virus.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ESurveillance is also key in managing HPAI H5N1 outbreaks. USDA inspectors carefully monitor animal health on farms and regularly test food products to ensure a safe food supply.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cAdvancements in testing have enabled food companies to run more tests, and whole genome sequencing allows epidemiologists to link animal and human cases to control outbreaks quicker,\u201d White explained.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhite also added that regulatory policies and guidelines are essential for controlling the spread of HPAI H5N1 in the poultry industry. Both the USDA and poultry companies conduct vigilant inspections and testing to quickly identify and mitigate sources of the virus. Few cases among humans have been reported elsewhere, underscoring the importance of ongoing vigilance.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe USDA is also conducting surveillance testing on wild birds to understand and prevent the spread of aviation influenza through migratory birds,\u201d White said.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe recent HPAI H5N1 outbreak has heightened concerns in Georgia, a top poultry producer, where Georgia Tech expert Wendy White emphasizes the importance of biosecurity measures and vigilant monitoring to prevent a major outbreak. Although the virus is highly contagious among birds and has been reported in states like Colorado, no cases have been confirmed in Georgia yet.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech expert Wendy White warns of contagion risk in the poultry industry"}],"uid":"35797","created_gmt":"2024-08-01 15:19:04","changed_gmt":"2024-08-06 17:43:24","author":"Siobhan Rodriguez","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2024-08-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2024-08-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"674470":{"id":"674470","type":"image","title":"HPAI H5N1 Virus Could Pose Significant Threat to Georgia\u2019s Poultry Farms","body":null,"created":"1722525564","gmt_created":"2024-08-01 15:19:24","changed":"1722525564","gmt_changed":"2024-08-01 15:19:24","alt":"Image of chickens on a farm","file":{"fid":"257999","name":"AdobeStock_735151780.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/01\/AdobeStock_735151780.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2024\/08\/01\/AdobeStock_735151780.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":7293363,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2024\/08\/01\/AdobeStock_735151780.jpeg?itok=MXgr_sbd"}}},"media_ids":["674470"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"42901","name":"Community"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4618","name":"bird flu"},{"id":"193876","name":"H5N1"},{"id":"193877","name":"HPAI H5N1"},{"id":"193878","name":"bird flu outbreak"},{"id":"193879","name":"bird flu risk"},{"id":"668","name":"poultry"},{"id":"125571","name":"poultry industry"},{"id":"57801","name":"poultry processing"},{"id":"193880","name":"georgia farming"},{"id":"193881","name":"georgia agriculture"},{"id":"193882","name":"georgia poultry"},{"id":"193883","name":"georgia poultry plant"},{"id":"193884","name":"colorado bird flu outbreak"},{"id":"193885","name":"colorado bird flu"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71891","name":"Health and Medicine"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ESiobhan Rodriguez\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInstitute Communications\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["sar30@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}