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USDA News Release No. 0294.06
Contact:
USDA Press Office (202) 720-4623
DOI Press Office (202) 208-6416

CONFIRMATORY TESTS BEING CONDUCTED ON MICHIGAN WILD BIRD SAMPLES

The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior today announced that
routine surveillance has indicated the presence of H5 and N1 avian
influenza subtypes in samples from 2 wild mute swans in Michigan, but
testing has ruled out the possibility of this being the highly
pathogenic H5N1 strain that has spread through birds in Asia, Europe
and Africa. Test results thus far indicate this is low pathogenicity
avian influenza [LPAI], which poses no threat to human health.

Avian Influenza

Causative Agent

There are many different strains of Avian Influenza (AI) worldwide. AI affects numerous species of birds such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks, geese and guinea fowl. At the present time there are two different classifications of AI worldwide that can be named. There is a low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) and high pathogenic avian influenza(HPAI) form. Both strains are considered to be emerging diseases with the most common being the LPAI. In trying to determine what strain you are dealing with you look at the severity of the disease and as well as the clinical signs.