Infectious Diseases 2024

Infectious Diseases 2024

Hundreds of thousands of hens culled in Italy and the USA

17 October, 2024

Two notable, although not unique, cases of avian influenza have been reported in the United States and Italy. In Italy, 400,000 laying hens were culled at a farm in the province of Ferrara, specifically at Eurovo di Codigoro, after the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus was diagnosed. In the United States, 1.8 million commercial laying hens were destroyed in Utah following the diagnosis of the H5N1 virus.
The rationale behind the actions taken by the Veterinary Services in the United States remains difficult to understand. They have implemented a culling policy for the poultry industry while adopting a different approach for the dairy industry, where over 300 dairy farms have tested positive for H5N1 but continue to operate under quarantine. It can be speculated that the ongoing events at these farms may eventually lead to the consideration of H5 vaccines for cattle.

Eurovo di Codigoro