Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- February 17, 2004
Risk of bird flu in humans is low in Pennsylvania (:50)
Suggested Intro:
THE TYPE OF HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN FLU THAT HAS CAUSED HUMAN ILLNESS AND DEATHS IN ASIA IS UNLIKELY TO OCCUR IN PENNSYLVANIA. THAT WORD FROM A VETERINARY SCIENTIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. CHUCK GILL REPORTS:
Story:
(:12) OFFICIALS SAY RECENT AVIAN FLU OUTBREAKS IN DELAWARE AND PENNSYLVANIA ARE LOW-PATHOGENIC VARIETIES THAT POSE NO THREAT TO HUMAN HEALTH. BUT WHEN SOME MILD STRAINS CIRCULATE UNCHECKED, THEY CAN MUTATE INTO MORE DANGEROUS FORMS.
(:10) PENN STATE AVIAN VETERINARIAN PATTY DUNN SAYS WITH ONE OF THE MOST AGGRESSIVE AVIAN FLU SURVEILLANCE PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY...PENNSYLVANIA IS CONSTANTLY MONITORING COMMERCIAL POULTRY FLOCKS FOR THE DISEASE:
Dunn Actuality:
(:16) "AND IF ANY TYPE IS FOUND, QUICK STEPS ARE MADE TO ERADICATE IT BEFORE IT WOULD HAVE ANY CHANCE TO CIRCULATE FOR A LARGE PERIOD OF TIME AND MUTATE INTO SOMETHING MORE DANGEROUS FOR BIRDS...WHICH IN ASIA HAS MUTATED INTO SOMETHING THAT'S DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE AS WELL."(:12) DUNN SAYS ALTHOUGH AVIAN FLU CAN CAUSE ECONOMIC DAMAGE TO THE STATE'S $700-MILLION-A-YEAR POULTRY INDUSTRY...IT'S NOT A FOOD SAFETY CONCERN, SINCE THE VIRUS IS NOT FOUND IN EGGS OR MEAT. FROM PENN STATE, I'M CHUCK GILL.
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