Why is culling of birds recommended for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), but it is not recommended for pigs and birds infected with pandemic influenza virus?
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) is a severe threat to animal health particularly in birds – and in the case of H5N1, a severe threat to human health as well. Classic control measures such as biosecurity and culling affected flocks aim to prevent spread of this serious disease to other birds and are proportionate to the risk. In the case of H5N1, culling also aims to control the public health risk in the animal source. When birds get infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza, they rapidly develop life threatening illness and many die in a few days. The farm and water sources on the farm can become contaminated with the avian influenza virus, because birds shed the virus in their faeces. Therefore culling is justified and is a critically important control measure to stop the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza. When, for economic reasons culling is not possible – mainly in poor countries and in countries without early detection/ rapid response systems in their vete
