US Restricts Poultry Imports From Australian State Following Bird Flu Outbreak

A test tube labelled "Bird Flu" and eggs in a picture illustration on Jan. 14, 2023. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

The United States has restricted import of poultry, birds, and unprocessed avian products amid bird flu outbreaks in Victoria.

This comes after bird flu was detected at two separate farms in regional Victoria, leading to hundreds of thousands of birds being euthanised.

In addition, a human case of H5N1 bird flu was announced in Victoria recently in a child who had returned to Australia from India.

The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issued an import alert backdated to May 22 which will apply until further notice in Victoria.

“The restriction applies to commercial birds, ratites, avian hatching eggs, poultry, unprocessed avian products and byproducts, and certain fresh poultry products from the state of Victoria, Australia,” the alert states.

“Importation of any of these commodities originating from or transiting the State of Victoria is prohibited based on APHIS’ determination that highly pathogenic avian influenza exists in domestic birds.”

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The notice asserts “unprocessed avian products and byproducts” originating from or transiting Victoria will not be permitted to enter the United States.  

However, processed avian products and byproducts from Victoria can be imported, provided they are accompanied by a permit and a treated as per regulations.

“Under these restrictions, processed avian products and byproducts originating from or transiting the State of Victoria, Australia, imported as cargo, must be accompanied by an APHIS import permit and/or government certification confirming that the products were treated according to APHIS requirements,” the notice says. 

While importation of commercial birds is prohibited, pet and zoo birds, pigeons and doves can still be imported with a permit and subject to a 30-day quarantine at the New York Animal Import Center in or the Miami Animal Import Center.

No other Australian states are impacted by the restrictions.

Birds Must Be Kept in Cages in ‘Movement Control Zones’

This comes after the H7N3 highly pathogenic strain of avian inflenza was discovered at a property in Meredith, Victoria on May 22.

Then, on May 23, avian influenza virus at a second poultry farm directly connected with the Meredith property via joint management was detected in the Terang region of Victoria.

The strain of avian influenza found at the second infected property is H7N9, Agriculture Victoria said on May 26.

Both properties are now in quarantine and all poultry will be disposed of, with the sites cleared of the infection.

Movement controls and a “housing requirement” for all birds within restricted area and control zones are now in force in Meredith and Terang.

The department said penalties apply to those who do not follow the new restrictions.

“Under the housing requirement all poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners must house or keep their birds enclosed as practically as possible in cages or sheds,” the department said.

Chief Veterinarian in Victoria Graeme Cooke said housing birds reduces direct contact with wild birds that can carry the disease with no apparent symptoms.

He added the order will reduce the risk that more birds will contract avian influenza, but will not eliminate the risk of spread.

“If you don’t have a building in which to house your birds, then efforts should be made to separate them and their food and drink from wild birds that may be carrying avian influenza. By using netting for example,” he said.

However, Mr. Cooke reassured the community that eggs and chicken from the supermarket are still safe to eat.

Bird Flu Explained

Murdoch University Professor of Viral Immunology Cassandra Berry said bird flu is caused by a variety of influenza type A viruses that normally infect birds, especially waterfowl and shorebirds.

She explained some of these influenza types are highly pathogenic, known as high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), while others are low.

“The difference lies in the number of basic amino acids at the cleave site of haemagglutinin (HA), a spike protein on the virus surface, which is cleaved by cellular proteases,” she said.

The professor explained since influenza viruses mutate quickly, low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) can develop into HPAI.

For this reason, surveillance and biosecurity measures are critical to control virus outbreaks, she explained.

Ms. Berry added that chickens are highly suspectable to bird flu and an entire flock can be decimated overnight with HPAI.

“Birds shed virus in their saliva, mucous, and feces. Bird flu strains have been known to infect humans but limited transmission between humans exists,” she said.

“Bird and human flu viruses usually have different cell receptor binding properties but some have dual binding to both avian and mammalian cells.”

Meanwhile, University of Queensland virologist Kirsty Short said it was very reassuring that the strain identified on Victorian farms is a H7 virus, and not the H5N1 strain circulating around the world.

“However, this should serve as an important reminder as to the need for constant vigilance regarding avian influenza and the need to report any sick or dying birds to the appropriate authorities,” she said.

On May 22, the Victorian Chief Health Officer Dr. Clare Looker advised of the first Australian case of H5N1 in Victoria.

However, the child had returned from overseas in March 2024 but the avian influenza virus was detected via further testing before being announced.

“Transmission to humans is very rare, with a small number of human cases of H5N1 reported globally, resulting in death in a number of cases,” the Victorian health department advisory said.