A poultry farm in Blue Creek Village, Orange Walk District, has tested positive for Fowl Typhoid disease.
Amandalaspoke tonight with Chief Veterinarian, and the Director of Animal Health in the Animal Health Department, Miguel Depaz, who told us that the discovery of the disease was made about three weeks ago in a mixed poultry (boiler parents and brown-shell egg layers) farm in Cuatro Leguas, Blue Creek.
Depaz told us that the discovery was reported within 24 hours, and that a preliminary screening test was conducted by the farmers. The test was then sent abroad and returned with a positive result, and farmers have since seen a high mortality in their stock of 40% due to the disease.
Thedisease is caused by one of the two poultry-adapted strains of the salmonella bacteria, Salmonella gallinarum, and can cause mortality in birds, at different stages in life. Chickens are most commonly affected, but it can also affect turkeys.
According to Depaz, broiler parents and brown-shell egg layers are especially prone. Also, the route of infection is oral, or via the navel yolk. The bacterium is fairly resistant to a normal climate, surviving months, but is susceptible to regular disinfectants.
The signs of the disease are ruffled feathers, loss of appetite, and thirst, and the birds may appear reluctant to move.
In a press release, the Belize Health Authority (BAHA) said it has implemented an emergency disease control measure upon receiving official confirmation from the United States Department of Agriculture laboratory in Ames, Iowa.
There are reportedly 600 cases, and 400 birds have since been slaughtered in order to control the outbreak.
The OIE epidemiological comments on the situation are that breeder farms are under the Belize Poultry Improvement Plan’s “Pullorum/Fowl Typhoid clean classification”. This plan and classification is similar to the USA’s National Poultry Improvement Plan. Security has been stepped up throughout the country.
According to BAHA, although vaccines are available to control the disease, they, along with the poultry industry, have decided to restrict vaccination and to focus on other measures of control.
BAHA also informed that farmers are being educated about the disease. Depaz told us that no poultry will be allowed to leave Blue Creek until it is classified as clean. Also, any poultry on a farm showing positive results will be destroyed.
Depaz said the disease will not harm consumers, since it is strictly a bird disease.
The outbreak is not expected to impact greatly as compared to the 1986 outbreak that caused both social and economic effects nationwide.