New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Charles M. Kuperus today issued the following statement regarding final USDA test results on Avian Influenza detected during routine testing at a Camden County live bird market on April 21 and 24:

Routine testing in New Jersey's live bird market system on April 21 and 24 turned up a strain of Avian Influenza (AI) that appeared to be low pathogenic and could not harm humans.  Further tests on the samples from the Camden County live bird market showed the detected virus posed no risk to humans. In fact, the tests indicated the virus was dead and could not have harmed humans or birds. 

The initial finding was not an uncommon occurrence, since various strains of AI harmful only to birds are sometimes detected during routine testing.   Recent negative results from the more detailed “virus isolation” test, conducted at the Ames, Iowa, USDA laboratory, indicate that initial results from one lot of chickens and one lot of ducks detected dead virus that could not have harmed humans or birds.

Results are still being awaited from a third sample taken from a second lot of ducks.  That sample was sent to Ames at a later date, but to this point, no viral growth has occurred from that sample either.

The results of both the screening and virus isolation tests show the value of the testing protocol. The screening test is sensitive enough to detect even weak or dead virus. The confirmatory tests at Ames are designed to determine whether those screening tests have detected anything that should be of a concern to humans. The Department will continue working with its state partners and USDA to be vigilant in detecting AI in order to ensure the safety of the food system.

The market owner voluntarily depopulated his existing flock. After he cleaned and disinfected the market, it was inspected again by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Health and allowed to repopulate and reopen.

Again, the Department reminds consumers that poultry products remain safe to eat, even where forms of the virus are detected. Proper handling and thorough cooking (between 165 and 180 degrees) renders the AI virus harmless.

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Routine testing in New Jersey’s live bird market system turned up a strain of Avian Influenza (AI) that appears to be low pathogenic and cannot harm humans. This is not an uncommon occurrence, as various strains of AI harmful only to birds are sometimes detected during these tests.

The strain was found in a live bird market in Camden County.  None of the birds in the market died from this virus, which is an indicator that the virus was low pathogenic and not harmful to humans.   Additionally, preliminary results from the National Veterinary Services laboratory were negative for type N1 of the virus -- another indicator that the virus is low pathogenic.  Additional tests are pending.

The market owner voluntarily depopulated his existing flock, and the market has undergone cleaning and disinfecting under New Jersey Department of Agriculture supervision. The market will be inspected again by personnel from the Department’s Division of Animal Health before being allowed to reopen and repopulate.

Further testing is being conducted at USDA laboratories in Ames, Iowa, to confirm the strain of the virus. 

The Department reminds consumers that all forms of AI are killed by thorough cooking. It remains safe to eat poultry and poultry products that are properly handled and cooked.