DeLauro Calls for Ag Appropriations Hearings on Avian Flu
Monday, December 05, 2005
DeLauro Calls for Ag Appropriations Hearings on Avian Flu
- U.S. Must Determine if Vaccinating Poultry Like China is Feasible -
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro (Conn.-3), ranking member of the House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee, today called for the subcommittee to investigate the threat of avian flu. In a letter to Subcommittee Chairman Henry Bonilla, DeLauro said a hearing was necessary to determine if it was feasible for the U.S. to emulate China's decision to vaccinate poultry against the flu.
Last month, the Chinese Ministry of Health began vaccinating all of its 5.2 billion chickens, geese and ducks against the bird flu. Prior to this decision, the Ministry confirmed three human cases of bird flu in China.
"Given the timeliness of this issue and the fact that this disease poses an international threat to poultry and to humans, the Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee must determine if vaccinating poultry in the model of the Chinese government is feasible in the U.S.," said DeLauro. "Vaccinating poultry will not eradicate the threat of this deadly disease, but it will control the outbreak. What is happening in Asia is distressing and while the U.S. is not in the same situation, we must not wait until circumstances are dire."
The avian flu virus, also known as H5N1, has killed more than 60 people in Asia. Since the virus can mutate from birds to humans, 140 million birds have been killed worldwide to try and stop its spread. The disease has yet to be found in the U.S.
DeLauro referenced the work done in 2003 by the KofKoff Egg Farms, a poultry farm in Bozrah, CT when their facility found a low-pathogen strain of the avian flu. KofKoff performed, at its own expense, an emergency pilot vaccination protocol to control and eradicate the outbreak to all chickens. Although the farm was able to eliminate the outbreak, demonstrating the effectiveness of vaccination as one form of containment to the avian flu, USDA never reimbursed KofKoff or recognized this program as a national model. DeLauro has called for more work to be done at USDA to develop vaccination programs that can limit influenza in poultry flocks and diminish the probability of these deadly strains of disease from developing in poultry.
http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2005/December/avian_hearings_12_05_05.html