Ohio Battled Avian Influenza in 2022
In partnership with: Ohio Department of Agriculture
Because of poultry popularity, the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) poultry disease in 2022 significantly impacted the poultry and chicken industry in Ohio and the country.
Chicken is the No. 1 protein consumed in the U.S., with Americans eating more chicken than anyone else globally, according to the National Chicken Council. Nearly 59 million birds were affected, with 836 confirmed cases in 47 states, creating the deadliest bird flu outbreak in U.S. history.
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Each year, Ohio’s chicken, turkey, and egg farming companies contribute more than $4.9 billion to the state’s economy and support more than 20,000 Ohio jobs, according to the Ohio Poultry Association. When the 2022 outbreak reached Ohio, state officials were ready.
Cases and Causes of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Defiance County, Ohio, experienced the largest HPAI outbreak in the state in September 2022, affecting 3.7 million birds in a commercial flock, which were depopulated to contain the disease. At the time, it was the third-largest outbreak in the nation.
Nine cases were reported in Ohio, with the state’s final detection in January 2023.
“Ohio’s been very fortunate,” says Dr. Dennis Summers, DVM, DACVPM, state veterinarian and chief of the Ohio Department of
Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health. “We had confirmed cases but not as heavily affected as other states with dozens of detections.”
Migratory waterfowl, such as ducks and geese, are carriers of this highly contagious virus.
“There are ponds everywhere across the U.S., and migratory birds fly overhead dropping fecal matter,” Summers says. “Once it gets on the bottom of someone’s shoes or on a car tire that goes to a poultry premise, the virus can affect the birds.”
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk to public health is very low.
Readied Response
The Ohio Department of Agriculture worked in tandem with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Department of Natural
Resources, and the Ohio Poultry Association to avoid further spreading of the virus.
“As soon as the Defiance County outbreak was reported, our response was to immediately quarantine the premises and prepare responders for the hard challenge of quickly depopulating the site,” Summers says.
After depopulation, the team worked with the Environmental Protection Agency on proper disposal. Thorough cleaning and disinfecting ensured the virus was killed. Once the regulatory actions were completed, the producer could repopulate with baby chicks. The entire process took 75 days.
See more: Ohio Poultry Farmers are Caring for the Coop
“More than 70 people worked seven days a week to contain the virus,” Summers says. “The faster we can complete the response
activities, the faster the producer can return to business.”
Disease preparedness in Ohio is critical to the agricultural industry with more than 1,000 egg, chicken, and turkey farmers.
Cost of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Contamination
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2022, food prices increased by 9.9%, with egg prices having the most significant increase of 32.2% following the avian flu outbreak. The U.S. inflation report stated that the cost of uncooked poultry rose more than 13% in 2022.
“Despite having nine positive cases and one large case at a commercial premise, Ohio did very well navigating and overcoming the 2022 outbreak,” Summers says. “I am proud to say Ohio does very well with biosecurity measures, and Ohio’s poultry industry is awesome!”