Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Confirmed in a Commercial Turkey Flock in Cherokee County

DES MOINES, Iowa (June 2, 2024) — The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have detected a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Cherokee County, Iowa. The affected site is a commercial turkey flock. 

HPAI is a viral disease that affects both wild and domestic bird populations as well as lactating dairy cattle.  HPAI can travel in wild birds without those birds appearing sick, but is often fatal to domestic bird populations, including chickens and turkeys. With supportive care, dairy cattle recover with little to no mortality associated with the disease.

Heightened Biosecurity 

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is strongly encouraging Iowa poultry producers and dairy farmers to bolster their biosecurity practices and protocols to protect their flocks and herds. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has biosecurity recommendations for dairy herds to utilize. In addition, the Department has numerous other biosecurity resources for poultry producers and livestock farms to reference on its website. Farmers or farm workers who interact regularly with both dairy and poultry or who interact frequently with other farm workers in poultry or dairy, should take extra precautions to limit possible transmissions.

 

Suspected Cases in Poultry

If poultry producers or those with backyard birds suspect signs of HPAI, they should contact their veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305.

Clinical signs of HPAI in birds may include: 

  • Sudden increase in bird deaths without any clinical signs
  • Lethargy and/or lack of energy and appetite
  • Decrease in egg production
  • Soft, thin-shelled and/or misshapen eggs
  • Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks
  • Purple/blue discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Coughing, sneezing, and/or nasal discharge (runny nose)
  • Stumbling and/or falling down
  • Diarrhea

Suspected Cases in Dairy

If dairy producers suspect cases of HPAI, they should contact their herd veterinarian immediately. Possible cases must also be reported to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship at (515) 281-5305. USDA’s federal order regulating the interstate movement of lactating dairy cattle remains in effect. 

Clinical signs of HPAI in dairy may include:

  • Decrease in food consumption with a simultaneous decrease in rumination
  • Clear nasal discharge
  • Drop in milk production
  • Tacky or loose feces
  • Lethargy
  • Dehydration
  • Fever
  • Thicker, concentrated, colostrum-like milk

Food Safety

It remains safe to enjoy poultry products. As a reminder, consumers should always properly handle and cook eggs and poultry products, including cooking to an internal temperature of 165˚F. It is a longstanding practice that only milk from healthy animals may enter the food supply. There is no concern about the safety of pasteurized milk or dairy products. Pasteurization has continually proven to successfully inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk.

 

Public Health

Though recent cases of HPAI were confirmed in dairy workers in Texas and Michigan, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continues to believe the threat to humans remains low

 

Commercial and Backyard HPAI Detections in Iowa

Date

County

Flock Type

3/1/22

Pottawattamie

Backyard Mixed Species

3/6/22

Buena Vista

Commercial Turkey

3/10/22

Taylor

Commercial Layer Chickens

3/17/22

Buena Vista

Commercial Layer Chickens

3/20/22

Warren

Backyard Mixed Species

3/23/22

Buena Vista

Commercial Turkey

3/25/22

Franklin

Commercial Pullet Chickens

3/28/22

Hamilton

Commercial Turkey

3/28/22

Guthrie

Commercial Layer Chickens

3/29/22

Buena Vista

Commercial Turkey

3/31/22

Osceola  

Commercial Layer Chickens

3/31/22

Cherokee

Commercial Turkey

4/2/22

Sac  

Commercial Turkey

4/2/22

Humboldt

Commercial Breeding Chickens

4/4/22

Hamilton

Commercial Turkey

4/5/22

Hardin

Commercial Turkey

4/20/22

Bremer

Commercial Turkey

4/22/22

Kossuth

Backyard Mixed Species

5/2/22

Bremer

Backyard Mixed Species

10/20/22

Dallas

Backyard Mixed Species 

10/31/22

Wright

Commercial Layer Chickens

11/7/22

Louisa

Backyard Mixed Species

11/7/22

Wright

Commercial Layer Chickens

12/2/22

Buena Vista

Commercial Turkey

12/6/22

Sac

Commercial Turkey

12/6/22

Cherokee

Commercial Turkey

12/9/22

Sac

Commercial Turkey

12/11/22

Buena Vista

Commercial Turkey

12/11/22

Cherokee

Commercial Turkey

12/12/22

Ida

Commercial Turkey

1/25/23

Buena Vista

Commercial Turkey

3/14/23

Chickasaw

Backyard Mixed Species

10/20/23

Buena Vista

Commercial Turkey

10/23/23

Pocahontas

Commercial Turkey

10/23/23

Guthrie

Backyard Mixed Species

10/31/23

Buena Vista

Commercial Turkey

11/3/23

Clay

Game Bird Ducks and Backyard Mixed Species

11/3/23

Clay

Game Bird Ducks

11/3/23

Clay

Game Bird Ducks

11/3/23

Hamilton

Commercial Breeding Chickens

11/7/23

Kossuth

Game Bird Pheasants, Peafowl and Commercial Layer Chickens

11/10/23

Taylor

Commercial Layer Chickens

11/10/23

Jones

Backyard Mixed Species

11/11/23

Kossuth

Game Bird Pheasants, Quail and Chukars

11/11/23

Cerro Gordo

Backyard Mixed Species

11/15/23

Benton

Backyard Mixed Species

11/23/23

Sioux

Commercial Layer Chickens

11/29/23

Woodbury

Backyard Mixed Species

11/29/23

Woodbury

Backyard Mixed Species

12/6/23

Mills

Backyard Mixed Species

12/19/23

Mahaska

Backyard Mixed Species

5/28/24

Sioux

Commercial Layer Chickens

6/2/24

Cherokee

Commercial Turkey

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About the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Led by Secretary Mike Naig, the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship serves the rural and urban residents that call Iowa home. Through its 14 diverse bureaus, the Department ensures animal health, food safety and consumer protection. It also promotes conservation efforts to preserve our land and enhance water quality for the next generation. Learn more at iowaagriculture.gov.

Media Contact:
Don McDowell
Communications Director
515-281-3375
Don.McDowell@IowaAgriculture.gov