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Avian influenza, also known
as “bird
flu”, has
been in the news continuously over the last year, and it
doesn’t
appear to be going away. This has produced concern among
consumers regarding the safety of living near poultry farms,
working in the industry and even eating chicken and eggs.
Avian influenza is currently an animal disease, not a human
disease. The avian influenza virus rarely infects humans.
When it does, the cause is typically direct contact by humans
with infected birds. In other parts of the world, direct
contact with live poultry is much more common. In the U.S.,
it is extremely rare and those who need to handle live poultry
receive special training to protect themselves.
In the U.S., the majority of
our poultry supply comes from vertically integrated companies
with enclosed housing, closed marketing systems, and complete
control over their products from egg to meat. In contrast,
in the majority of the countries experiencing avian influenza,
the poultry supply comes from a combination of vertically
integrated and small farmer owned flocks or from small farmer
owned flocks exclusively. In all but a few of the human cases
of avian influenza reported, the source was direct exposure
from butchering sick chickens. The general public should
NOT be afraid of the commercial poultry supply. Additionally,
there have been no diagnosed cases of highly pathogenic avian
influenza H5N1 in the United States.
Food Safety
Ordinary safe handling practices will protect
consumers from food borne illness and any threat from avian
influenza. These practices include washing hands before and
after handling raw poultry along with utensils and surfaces
that have contacted raw poultry coupled with adequate cooking
(minimum internal temperature of 165º F). In addition,
food to be consumed raw should be stored and handled so that
it does not contact raw poultry.
For further information regarding Avian influenza
and industry practices, contact one of the Mississippi State
University faculty listed below.

Dr. Yvonne Vizzier Thaxton
Department of Poultry Science
yvizzier@poultry@msstate.edu
(662) 325-9087
Dr. G. Wallace Morgan
Department of Poultry Science
wmorgan@poultry.msstate.edu
(662) 325-3416
Dr. William “Benjy” Mikel
Food Science, Nutrition & Health Promotion
WMikel@fsnhp.msstate.edu
(662) 325-5508
Other Information
The following archived audio files,
news features, newsletters and publications were produced
by MSU's Extension Service and the Office of Agricultural
Communications.
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Audio
Better Farming Radio
Show (12-19-2005)
MSU Poultry Diagnostics Laboratory Director Danny Magee talks about the poultry
industry and the threat of the Avian Flu in Mississippi. REAL | MP3
Better Farming Radio
Show (03-08-2004)
Dr. Tim Cummings, clinical poultry professor with MSU's College of Veterinary
Medicine, talks about what's being done to keep avian flu out of Mississippi
poultry flocks. REAL | MP3
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Related News Features
Eggs
take biggest hit in 2005 poultry prices (06-10-2005)
Agricultural News feature - 2005 Mississippi Poultry Industry
Year-End Summary.
Prices
drive poultry over $2 billion mark (12-16-2004)
Agricultural News feature - 2004 Mississippi Poultry Industry
Year-End Summary.
The
respiratory outbreak in Mississippi broilers during 1998 (09-10-2004)
Mississippi Crop Report news feature.
Poultry
retains top ag spot in the state (12-18-2003)
Agricultural News feature - 2003 Mississippi Poultry Industry
Year-End Summary.
Poultry
doing well despite export slump (08-16-2002)
Mississippi Crop Report news feature.
Asian
economic woes not hurting state ag (02-09-1998)
Agricultural News feature.
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Newsletters
Livestock:
Poultry - PDF (January 2006)
Agricultural Economic and Policy Perspectives newsletter.
Summertime
Meat Price Slowdown - PDF (August 2004)
Agricultural Economic and Policy Perspectives newsletter.
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Extension Publications
The
Respiratory Outbreak in Mississippi Broilers During 1998
- PDF (February 2003)
Extension Publication B1127.
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