Outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Commercial Poultry
Farms, Kwahu-West Municipality, Ghana
Abstract
Background Avian Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection that
mainly affects domesticated birds. On June 21, 2018, the Kwahu-West
Municipal Veterinary Office was notified of sudden deaths of birds on a
poultry farm. Seven days later, a second farm sited 100 meters from the
index case-farm also recorded bird deaths. We investigated to confirm
the causative agent, identify its source, and implement control
measures. Methods We conducted a survey of six poultry farms and human
contacts of affected farms in Nkawkaw. A suspected case-farm of HPAI was
any farm in Nkawkaw with sudden death of bird(s), with or without
clinical signs of HPAI from June 1 to July 10, 2018. Six bird carcasses
were collected on affected farms for laboratory analysis. We interviewed
owners of affected farms and assessed the farm environments, as well as
clinical status of human contacts. Results A total 2,280 birds were
affected on two adjacent farms. HPAI-H5N1 was confirmed for all samples
investigated. The index case-farm with 1,438 birds, reported 30 bird
deaths on June 16, 2018, 24 hours after receiving a consignment of birds
from an HPAI-H5N1 confirmed farm in a neighboring region of Ghana. The
second case-farm recorded bird deaths 7 days later. Both farms operated
aluminum sheet-roofed metallic mesh pens without fencing. Beddings in
pens were not regularly changed. Four poultry farms located within an
6km radius of the affected farms did not report sick or dead birds. All
twenty-three human contacts were asymptomatic of flu, after 14-days
follow-up. Conclusions This HPAI-H5N1 outbreak was likely imported
through the introduction of birds from a neighboring region due to lax
livestock movement regulations, and poor biosecurity measures on farms.
Disinfection and depopulation exercises effectively controlled the
outbreak. We recommend strict implementation of biosafety measures on
farms and at entry points in the district