Missouri folks- regarding avian influenza, are we a test out state?

[Rurumo]

Have you guys seen all the sea lions dying from bird flu in Peru?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Part of the problem with AI is a definitional one.

You can test for AI. But you can't test for HPAI. Because HPAI is defined, in part, by its mortality rate. You can test for certain clades of AI (H1- Hx) and if it happens to be H5 or H7, they will cull - because almost all the known strains of HPAI have originated from either the H5 or H7 clades - but that doesn't ensure that an HPAI strain won't originate from another Clade in the future (already has, at least once), or that your H5//H7 positive birds would have experienced HPAI levels of mortality.

That makes educated discussion, particularly with those unaware of the above, "difficult". Don't expect nuance in your news coverage. It doesn't sell copy, and they aren't qualified to discuss it anyways.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Have you guys seen all the sea lions dying from bird flu in Peru?

AI is an Influenza Type A virus which was already known to be both widespread among avian species (migrating ducks and other waterfowl are a known reservior in the wild for its transmission), its of course potentially highly lethal to chickens and turkey, its been identified in numerous other species of birds, particularly among the raptors and the carrion birds, but also aquatics like swans, seagulls, flamingos, gulls, and its been known to cross over to mammals as well, including (thankfully only a handful) of humans, lots of mink, also bears, foxes, cats, dogs, skunks, tigers, seals, and a host of others.

Source (among others)

Basically, Influenza Type A is very "adaptable" - its had (probalby millions) of years of practice.