AMERICAN ZOO AND AQUARIUM ASSOCIATION
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS - AVIAN INFLUENZA
This
fact sheet is provided to answer frequently asked questions about the H5N1
strain of avian influenza, also referred to as bird flu. Most of the information
about avian influenza is from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention and the World Health Organization.
AZA’s Animal Health
Committee has developed detailed guidelines for avian flu prevention and control
within AZA-accredited facilities. The AZA Board of Directors approved the
guidelines on 16 November 2005.
1)
What is avian influenza?
Avian influenza - commonly called “bird
flu” - is an infection caused by influenza viruses that occur naturally in
birds. Wild birds can carry the viruses, but usually do not get sick from them,
but some domesticated birds, such as chickens, ducks, and turkeys, can become
infected, often fatally. One strain of avian influenza, H5N1, is endemic in much
of Asia and has recently spread into Europe. Avian H5N1 infections have killed
poultry and other birds in a number of countries.
2)
Have any of the birds in AZA zoos and aquariums become infected with avian
influenza?
To date, there have been no known cases of
H5N1 anywhere in North America. At the AZA-accredited institutions with birds,
animal care experts already have a regular routine to carefully monitor the
health of their birds, as well as the other animals. Experts at AZA zoos and
aquariums know these animals better than anyone else, and are attuned to the
slightest behavior change that may indicate that an animal is ill.
3) What is AZA doing
to minimize the risk for the animals in accredited zoos and aquariums?
Some of the country’s top animal
health experts are members of AZA’s Animal Health Committee, which created
detailed guidelines to help members develop protocols specific to their zoo or
aquarium’s bird collection that will help prevent and, if needed, contain
avian influenza. For example, guidelines recommend that, in addition to
continuing standard biosecurity measures, zoos and aquariums should:
Animal care is the
first priority for AZA-accredited institutions. In addition to the guidelines
AZA has just released on avian influenza, our accreditation guidelines have long
required zoos and aquariums to perform regular health checks of their animals.
4) What is AZA doing to
minimize the risk for visitors who visit accredited zoos and aquariums?
It’s important to note that the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the H5N1 avian influenza
does not spread easily from birds to humans. In addition, there are no known
cases of H5N1 avian influenza anywhere in North America.
If H5N1 were to be
found in the U.S. or Canada, recommended guidelines would include not allowing
education program animals off zoo grounds to visit schools and discontinuing
behind-the-scenes tours of animal food preparation and storage areas, as well as
any area where birds are housed.
5) Can
people become infected with avian influenza?
Although it is possible for people to
become infected with avian influenza, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention states that the virus does not spread easily from animals to humans.
There have been confirmed cases of human infection in Asia, but those occurred
in association with virus outbreaks in poultry, usually among people who live
and work in close quarters with the animals.
6) What are
AZA institutions doing to minimize the risk to employees that work with birds?
Employee safety is an integral part of
animal care at all AZA zoos and aquariums. To protect AZA animal care experts
who work with birds, the guidelines recommend that employees wear outerwear
supplied and laundered through the zoo, and that employees disinfect their shoes
with a footbath when entering and leaving bird areas.
There is little risk of avian
influenza occurrence for employees that work with birds; however, we are always
looking for methods to improve our best practices.
7) Will AZA
zoos and aquariums play a roll in the prevention and monitoring of avian
influenza in the US and Canada?
AZA-accredited institutions around the U.S.
and Canada are poised to proactively help monitor and track this disease if it
becomes an emerging public health concern. In fact, AZA has long been in the
forefront of conducting research and contributing information to help local,
state and federal public health officials address emerging public health
concerns.
For example, AZA worked
closely with officials to monitor and track the West Nile Virus as it migrated
across the country. Our expertise in animal care and animal health continues to
be a valuable resource for public health officials focusing on preparedness for
avian influenza.
8)
Should visitors be concerned about visiting AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums?
There is little chance of visitors
contracting avian flu from an affected zoo or aquarium animal because in most
cases, visitors are separated from the birds by windows or by a safe distance.
This prevents visitors from coming into direct contact with the birds or their
bodily discharge (feces, saliva and nasal discharges).
9) If a bird flu
occurrence happens in the U.S., will AZA zoos and aquariums close?
Animal care is the first priority at
AZA-accredited institutions. The guidelines recommended by AZA are designed to
protect the health of animals, staff and visitors. In developing the guidelines,
we have evaluated all the options and selected the best courses of action based
on the tactics that most effectively address the different contingencies.
Individual members must make the best decision on what measures are most
effective for their own zoo or aquarium. Although the chance of an occurrence is
remote, we believe it is important to be prepared.
10) Will you be
vaccinating birds and other animals to protect them?
Vaccination should be considered when
there is a substantial threat of an outbreak in the region of a zoo.
11) Will zoos and
aquariums have to euthanize bird collections to protect public health?
All of our efforts currently are to
protect our birds from exposure, and we have preventative measures in place in
part to keep us from having to euthanize any animal. Also, under federal
law we are required to do everything in our power to protect any endangered
species in our care.
12) Are there other
resources for information on avian influenza?
http://www.pandemicflu.gov
- Pandemicflu.gov is the official U.S. government
Web site for information on pandemic flu and avian influenza.
http://www.usda.gov/birdflu
- U.S. Department of Agriculture bird flu site
http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/research/avian_influenza/avian_influenza.html
- National Wildlife Health Center Avian Influenza site
