Prof I Wayan Teguh Wibawan Gives Advice on Prevention of the Threat of Bird Flu in Poultry

Bird flu or avian influenza (AI) is a threat to global health because the bird flu virus has the potential to mutate to become more virulent. Prof I Wayan Teguh Wibawan, Professor of Animal Diseases, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (SKHB), IPB University said that the condition of bird flu in poultry is generally under control.

According to him, the application of bird flu vaccination in chickens in particular, both in breeding farms and commercial layers has been carried out regularly. Meanwhile, for ducks, not all have received bird flu vaccinations.

“There have been reports of an increase in deaths among ducks in South Kalimantan in unvaccinated ducks. The cause is the H5N1 serotype bird flu virus, which is suspected to be a new subclade (still being skuenzed)," he said.

Prof Wayan explained that the mode of transmission of bird flu is generally through direct contact between sick birds and other birds, through people, trucks, and livestock production facilities that have been contaminated.

He explained that preventive measures can be carried out by implementing strict biosecurity. For its implementation by implementing isolation, sanitation (washing and disinfection), and movement control or livestock traffic as well as vaccination using the registered AI H5N1 vaccine.

"It should be noted that the bird flu virus mutates easily, so the efficacy of existing vaccines must always be monitored, whether it is still effective against field challenge viruses," he said. (dh/Zul)(IAAS/TNY)