Wisconsin Still Battling the Bird Flu

Sunday, November 13th, 2022 -- 8:00 AM

(By Gaby Vinick, Wisconsin Public Radio) Avian influenza is continuing to crop up in Wisconsin despite efforts to control its spread.

According to Gaby Vinick with Wisconsin Public Radio, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection detected the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, in eight birds in Marathon and 15 birds in Waukesha counties this month.

The state has identified 18 counties this year with HPAI in domestic birds, such as chickens, turkeys or peacocks. While it's known as "the bird flu," HPAI poses a low risk to the general public, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Given the kind of environment we have in Wisconsin with a lot of waterways, we just have a high population of wild waterfowl and more potential for that virus, for local birds to come in contact," said Dr. Darlene Konkle, a veterinarian with Wisconsin's DATCP.

Those include ducks, geese and swans. Experts say this year's strain is highly contagious and came from Europe at the end of 2021. The viral disease is killing wild, backyard and commercial flocks at high rates.

Wisconsin is one of 46 states to see a surge in the number of wild birds infected as the country barrels toward a record number of outbreaks. And for birds, the infection is fast-moving and deadly.

"Part of the reason it is so pathogenic is our bird populations in North America have not built up any immunity to this virus either," Konkle said. As flocks migrate through Wisconsin to the southern areas of the state, she said it's possible more birds could be carrying the virus.

Konkle said Wisconsin saw cases sprout up in the early spring through May. The state DATCP experienced an uptick in cases that mirrors other states, she said, as they rose again at the end of August.

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