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Poultry companies and small farmers are implementing programs to eliminate
all strains of avian influenza.
“We have avian influenza
in America, but not the H5N1 strain that is generating so much attention in
Asia and Europe."
Tony Pescatore
UK College of Agriculture Extension Poultry Professor |
By Aimee Nielson
LEXINGTON, Ky., (June 21, 2006) – No cases of the life-threatening strain of
avian influenza, also referred to as bird flu, have been found in North or South
America. Still, the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture believes in
the importance of offering to the public information about the disease and how
to prevent its spread.
“We have avian influenza in America, but not the H5N1 strain that is generating
so much attention in Asia and Europe,” said Tony Pescatore, Extension poultry
professor in UK’s animal and food sciences department. “Poultry companies are
implementing programs to eliminate all strains of avian influenza.”
Pescatore said it is important to put it all into perspective since the H5N1
strain is responsible for only about 200 cases of influenza in Asia, out a
population of more than 3.7 billion. He said H5N1 is dangerous but it is not
spreading quickly, and people who do get the virus have most likely had close
physical contact with infected birds.
The college has a Web site,
http://www.ca.uky.edu/anr/avian_influenza.htm, listing information about
avian influenza, including how to differentiate between types of flu;
biosecurity and prevention measures; considerations for pets and nonfarm
animals; and cleaning and disinfection. There are also several slide
presentations and talking points. The site provides links to the World Health
Organization and the U.S. departments of Agriculture and the Interior.
The UK College of Agriculture has a unique role in educating people because its
mission bridges the human health and agriculture communities, said Jimmy
Henning, assistant director for agriculture and natural resources.
Deborah Murray, associate director of UK’s Health Education through Extension
Leadership program said that HEEL provides a great avenue to get important
health information to Kentuckians.
“Avian/pandemic flu is a complex issue that has many facets. Traditional health
education programming has been clinical in nature, and often the root of many
health problems are cultural, social and definitely family related,” she said.
“We have to have all perspectives at the table even those who, on the surface,
would not appear to have any expertise to bring to the table. HEEL attempts to
bring together all of the expertise available to address a health issue. We ask
some of the questions that some of the ‘specialized’ health education
practitioners don’t ask and help facilitate bringing folks to the table.”
The UK College of Agriculture, UK Cooperative Extension Service and the UK HEEL
program are collaborating with the Kentucky Extension Disaster Education Network
to define roles of Extension professionals should any influenza strain become a
pandemic outbreak in the United States.
Family and consumer sciences Extension agents will work to educate individuals,
families and communities about preparing for crises, focusing on family roles
such as dependent care, resource management, health and safety. They will
provide the most current research-based information on possible crisis
situations. The goal is so diminish panic through education and planning and to
encourage and develop critical thinking skills.
Agriculture and natural resources Extension agents will educate agricultural and
nonagricultural clientele about the differences between avian and pandemic flu;
the symptoms of avian flu; safety of consuming poultry and poultry products;
proper methods for handling healthy and sick birds; how to report sick domestic
and wild birds; procedures to follow in the event of an avian flu outbreak and
appropriate biosecurity measures. They will also encourage agricultural
producers, hunters and the general public to deliberate on possible scenarios,
appropriate responses and ways to prepare for crisis. These efforts should
result in earlier detection of potential avian flu outbreaks and improved
communication between clientele and appropriate governmental reporting agencies.
Extension 4-H youth development agents’ roles are still being developed.
Pescatore stressed that “while we need to prepare people, we don’t want to scare
them.” He said mammals and birds always have influenza viruses circulating in
their respective species.
“Flu viruses usually stay within a species,” he said. “The H5N1 strain infects
birds easily, but does not easily infect humans, and so far, this strain is not
contagious between people.”
Murray added that an outbreak of a deadly flu pandemic is expected to be spread
by migratory birds.
“There is a concern from our farmers and our consumers about the safety of our
food supply as well as the safety to our citizens,” she said. “Biosecurity is
important, and the measures taken in our rural areas can help with the public
health efforts. In any epidemic there is always a food concern – will we have
adequate and safe supplies of food and water to assist us in dealing with
epidemics? It is important that those of us who live in rural areas and those in
urban areas understand the issue from all perspectives and work together to
address it.”
Pescatore said it’s important to remember that doing little things now will
prevent the need to do major things later.
“Avian flu will not sneak up on the United States or Kentucky,” he said. “We
have surveillance programs in place and we’re working to educate farmers and
consumers about avian flu so they will know what to do should an H5N1 outbreak
occur.”
“I’m pleased so far with the college’s proactive effort,” said Andrea Husband,
program coordinator for agroterrorism and disaster preparedness. “We don’t even
have H5N1 in the U.S. and, yet, we are preparing for it. I’m very excited about
that because we won’t be caught off guard.”
A broader-reaching Web site about pandemic flu in general is available through
HEEL at
http://www.ca.uky.edu/fcs/pandemicflu/.
Writer:
Aimee Nielson
859-257-4736, ext. 267
Contact: Deborah Murray,
859-257-2968;
Tony
Pescatore, 859-257-7529;
Andrea
Husband, 859-257-7868
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