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Agriculture Deputy Secretary Chuck Conner on Wednesday outlined
USDA efforts to protect the United States against highly
transmissible forms of avian influenza.
"For more than two decades, USDA has worked to prepare for
and prevent an outbreak of dangerous strains of avian influenza
in our country," Conner said. "Attacking the disease at
its source overseas is a main focus for USDA. We also have
strict importation restrictions to prevent the spread of
the virus in our country and an elaborate surveillance system
in place to monitor our bird populations."
As a primary safeguard against highly pathogenic avian influenza
in the United States, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection
Service maintains trade restrictions on the importation
of pet birds, poultry and poultry products from AI-H5N1-affected
countries. Additionally, all birds, including pets, brought
into the United States from countries experiencing AI or
other diseases of concern are quarantined and tested at
an APHIS Animal Import Center for 30 days.
In 2002, the USDA Agricultural Research Service developed
a rapid diagnostic test for avian influenza that diagnoses
avian influenza within three hours, compared with up to
two weeks required for previous tests. The test has been
distributed to the National Animal Health Laboratory Network,
which includes university and state veterinary diagnostic
labs throughout the United States, to better enable laboratories
to monitor for and respond to avian influenza outbreaks.
APHIS also maintains an AI vaccine supply for poultry that
can be used to create a buffer around an identified area,
in the event of a large outbreak among poultry, to contain
the disease while it is in the process of being eradicated.
In addition, the agency has formed a national network of
personnel to assist with surveillance and response in the
event of an outbreak of HPAI or other foreign animal disease.
That network includes more than 40,000 accredited private
veterinarians who report any suspected disease outbreak
to federal or state officials.
Additional information about USDA bird flu efforts can be
found at www.usda.gov/birdflu.
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