2015 United States H5N2 outbreak

Influenza (flu)
Types Avian A/H5N1 subtype Canine Equine Swine A/H1N1 subtype
Vaccines 2009 pandemic Pandemrix Live attenuated Seasonal flu vaccine brands
Treatment Amantadine Baloxavir marboxil Laninamivir Oseltamivir Peramivir Rimantadine Umifenovir Zanamivir
Pandemics 1889-1890 Russian flu 1918 Spanish flu 1957-1958 Asian flu 1968 Hong Kong flu 1977 Russian flu 2009 swine flu
Outbreaks 1976 swine flu 2006 H5N1 India 2007 Australian equine 2007 Bernard Matthews H5N1 2008 West Bengal 2015 United States H5N2 outbreak 2020–2022 H5N8 outbreak
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In 2015, an outbreak of

The virus was first identified in Minnesota in early March. Prior to April 20, it affected commercial turkey farms almost exclusively, in the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and at 28 farms in Minnesota, where the virus was initially identified.^{[citation needed]}Migratory waterfowl are assumed to have brought the disease to the Midwest, but how it made its way into poultry barns is undetermined.^[2] No human cases have been reported, and human infection is almost impossible.^{[citation needed]}

Spread to hen farms

On Monday, April 20, the

As of May 27, over 25 million chickens had either died of the infection or been euthanized in Iowa alone.[4] Nebraska's toll at the same date was 7 million—a majority of the state's 9.45 million egg-laying hens.^[5]

Table of infections

This table shows large bird farm infections during the 2015 outbreak. All birds affected either died of the H5N2 infection itself, or were destroyed as a precautionary measure. While 205 total infections were confirmed through June 1, only larger outbreaks (affecting >200,000 hens or >50,000 turkeys) are displayed here.

Control

When an infection was confirmed, all birds at the affected farm were destroyed per USDA guidelines. The birds were often culled by foam depopulation through pumping an expanding water-based foam into the barn houses, which suffocates them within minutes. The birds were then composted, usually at the location.^[3]

References