Mexico has reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza at two table egg farms in the the central Mexican state of Aguascalientes. The H7N3 strain was confirmed on January 8, and Mexican authorities reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health that nearly 300,000 birds have been culled as the initial step in stopping the spread of the virus.
Aguascalientes is near Jalisco, where an Avian Influenza H7N3 outbreak emerged in June 2012. The virus in Aguascalientes was found to have 99 percent similar genetics to the one that hit Jalisco last year.
SENASCIA, the Mexican national health, food safety and quality service, said that 6 million doses of the vaccine developed for use in Jalisco last year will be used on the seven poultry farms in the vicinity of the outbreak at the egg farms in Aguascalientes. Mexican authorities are hopeful that the quick response, and having a vaccine immediately available, will make this new outbreak less widespread then the Jalisco outbreak, which caused the culling of approximately 25 million birds.
