Preventing disease in poultry

If you suspect that your animals are sick with any of the diseases here, contact your veterinarian or local CFIA animal health office immediately to assess your animals and submit samples to the Animal Health Centre.

Guidance is available to help small flock owners manage their birds, including:

• B.C. Small Flock Poultry Health manual (PDF, 4.4MB)
• CFIA 5 basic rules to prevent and detect disease in small flocks
• CFIA National Avian On-Farm Biosecurity Standard

Avian Influenza Virus (AI)

AI can be transmitted directly from bird to bird through secretions and feces, and indirectly through human movement, contaminated feed, water, and equipment. 

Learn about wild birds, how they spread AI, and  the risks they can pose to poultry:

• Wild Birds and Avian Influenza

AI viruses can, on rare occasions, cause disease in humans. Transmission to humans has occurred when people have had close contact with infected birds or heavily contaminated environments. If you work closely with birds or bird carcasses, the following biosecurity recommendations can help prevent the spread of Avian Influenza in the workplace:

• Biosecurity procedures for drivers of vehicles/equipment on Infected Premises (PDF, 155 KB)
• Guidance for municipal landfill and transfer station staff (PDF, 141 KB)
• Consider getting an annual vaccination against seasonal human influenza. This vaccination will not protect you against bird flu, but it will reduce the likelihood that you will become infected with both human and bird flu strains at the same time. Find a flu vaccine clinic near you.

For more information about preventing AI in you and your staff, see HealthLinkBC’s Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) webpage.

Salmonella Enteritidis

Salmonella Enteritidis or “SE” is a bacteria that can be present in live poultry and cause illness in people.

• Salmonella Enteritidis in B.C. - 05/2015 (PDF)