The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources confirmed Thursday that avian flu had infected two red foxes that were found dead in Salt Lake County late last month.
The first animal was discovered in a homeowner’s yard in Murray on May 24, and the second was found two days later in Taylorsville, a news release stated. Both were dead at the time of discovery.
The carcasses were transported to the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Logan, and testing at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, confirmed the disease.
According to officials, this type of cross-species infection is uncommon.
“While it does happen, it’s not very common for wildlife species other than birds to get highly pathogenic avian influenza,” Ginger Stout, a wildlife division veterinarian, said in the news release. “Some states have had one or two cases in wild mammals, but it’s pretty infrequent, and it seems to affect younger animals more often when it does occur.”
The division currently believes the foxes either ate or had some other contact with birds carrying the disease.
The state’s first bird flu case during this outbreak was confirmed last month in Cache County. The virus has since infected 25 wild birds across Cache and five additional Utah counties: Weber, Salt Lake, Utah, Tooele and Carbon. The birds included Canada geese, great horned owls, hawks, pelicans, turkey vultures and ducks.
In rare instances, avian influenza can spread to humans, and symptoms include fever, cough, headache and shortness of breath, according to the Mayo Clinic’s website. While this strain is considered a low risk to people, one human case has been confirmed in Colorado.
For safety, the wildlife division suggests that residents regularly clean their bird feeders and baths and avoid physical contact with wild birds.
“If anyone finds a group of five or more dead waterfowl or shorebirds — or any individual dead scavengers or raptors — they should report it to the nearest DWR office and absolutely make sure not to touch the birds or pick them up,” Stout said.
To report such findings, call 801-538-4700, and the wildlife division will dispatch and collect them for testing.
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/TafdvOo
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