Update on the current status of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Virginia

Open letter to the poultry community from Dr. Michael Persia,
School of Animal Sciences

January 15, 2025

This outbreak dates back to 2022 and continues to return each fall winter with migratory birds. In later 2024, HPAI returned to the USA, but most of these outbreaks were located in the Pacific and Mississippi flyways (Western and Midwest United States).  In January, it became evident that HPAI (circulating virus from migratory birds) has returned to the Atlantic flyway including Virginia. We have numerous states around us (NC, WV, PA and DE) that have identified current outbreaks and within VA we have had several wild birds that have tested positive. This virus continues to infect commercial and backyard poultry across the USA.

There is a statewide call for all poultry producers to increase biosecurity to protect the health and welfare of all poultry held within Virginia. A HPAI biosecurity document can be found at (https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/APSC/apsc-200/APSC-200.html), but critical to this is to not allow any wild birds, especially migratory birds, access to any poultry flock. This includes inadvertently tracking the virus into the flock on shoes or other outside equipment. Please let me know if you have any questions and I will try to get you any specific information required.

On a second note, once again this year, the return of HPAI in the fall has reduced the total number of laying hens in the USA and has resulted in an increase in egg prices and empty shelves. This is again due to HPAI.  For context, since December 1, 2024, over 16 million table egg laying chickens have been infected and depopulated due to HPAI. This represents approximately 5% of our total national flock lost in the last 45 days. As the holiday season is over, egg demand should be reduced and egg prices will once again come down, but supply will continue to be tight until these hens can be replaced. Please remember that this is not a quick process, as chickens do not fully mature and start egg production until they are 5 months old.

Finally, questions are being raised about the safety of eggs and the transmission of HPAI via the egg. This is due to the announcement of the first human USA fatality due to HPAI that occurred in Louisiana (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2025/m0106-h5-birdflu-death.html). This person was directly exposed to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. In light of this supposed route of transmission, good biosecurity is not only essential to protect bird health, but it is needed to protect human health. Despite this occurrence, the CDC still considers the threat of HPAI as low. No human-to-human transmission has been noted and the routes of exposure are typically direct exposure to infected birds or livestock. USDA has published a document that reviews egg safety in light of HPAI and answers some typical questions regarding the safety of the poultry and egg food chain. USDA Questions and Answers: Food Safety and Avian Influenza.

Watch for further updates and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

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