Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and USDA APHIS Confirms Third Case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Buena Vista County, Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa (March 24, 2022) – The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed a positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Buena Vista County, Iowa. The virus was found in a commercial turkey flock. This is the third confirmed case of HPAI in Buena Vista County, Iowa. The first case was in a commercial turkey flock on March 6 and the second case was in a flock of commercial laying hens on March 17.

“This is a difficult time for poultry producers as HPAI continues to impact farms across Iowa and the United States,” said Secretary Naig. “We continue to work with them, USDA and other industry stakeholders to implement our plans and minimize the spread of the virus. Biosecurity remains the best line of defense to protect the health of our poultry flocks.”

Flock owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual deaths to state/federal officials. Biosecurity resources and best practices are available at iowaagriculture.gov/biosecurity. If producers suspect signs of HPAI in their flocks, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture at (515) 281-5305.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recent HPAI detections in birds do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States. It remains safe to eat poultry products. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 ˚F kills bacteria and viruses.