Transboundary Emerging and Exotic Animal Disease/ Exotic Animal Disease Practice Exam

How were backyards flocks impacted during the 2015 HPAI outbreak compared to commercial operations?

1. Only commercial operations were affected

2. Backyard flocks experienced lesser effects

3. Both were equally impacted

4. Backyard flocks were also severely impacted

The correct answer is: Backyard flocks were also severely impacted

During the 2015 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak, backyard flocks experienced significant impacts, similar to those faced by commercial poultry operations. HPAI is a highly contagious disease that can spread rapidly among birds, regardless of whether they are part of a large commercial operation or a small backyard setting. The outbreak led to considerable mortality rates in infected birds and prompted widespread culling efforts to control the virus. In many regions, backyard flocks were not exempt from the disease response measures that were essential for preventing further spread of the virus. The same factors that amplified the effects within large commercial operations, such as close bird populations and environmental conditions, also applied to backyard flocks. Many owners of backyard poultry were often less knowledgeable about biosecurity measures, which could have further exacerbated the spread within their flocks. This context highlights that while commercial operations may have faced broader economic repercussions and larger scale culling due to the size of their flocks, backyard flocks, too, faced severe impacts due to direct infection and the stringent control measures implemented during the outbreak. Hence, the correct understanding of this situation is that backyard flocks were indeed adversely affected by HPAI, reinforcing the importance of vigilance and biosecurity for