On November 5, 2022, the Mississippi Board of Animal Health (MBAH) and the United States Department of Agriculture announced that poultry from a commercial broiler breeder chicken flock in Lawrence County tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

The State Veterinarian quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property were depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock did not enter the food system.  The MBAH is working closely with federal animal health officials on a joint incident response.

The MBAH is actively working with the industry and backyard bird owners to increase monitoring of flocks statewide. This finding is the first case of HPAI in commercial poultry in Mississippi. In October, American blue-winged teal tested positive with HPAI in Issaquena County.

Avian influenza does not present a food safety risk; poultry and eggs are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the public health risk associated with these avian influenza detections in birds remains low.  As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.

It is important poultry owners practice good biosecurity and be aware of the signs of avian influenza and report bird illness and/or death in the MBAH Online Reporting Form https://agnet.mdac.ms.gov/MBAHReportableDiseases/publicreportingform.

A resource for backyard bird health information is online at:  https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources.

More information and resources can be found on the MBAH Avian Influenza website at https://hpai.ms.gov.