Surveillance for Asian H5N1 Avian 

Influenza in the United States

Increasing concern over the 

potential for migratory birds 

to introduce the Asian H5N1 

strain of avian influenza to North 

America prompted the White 

House Policy Coordinating 

Committee for Pandemic Influenza 

Preparedness to request that the 

U.S. Departments of Agriculture 

(USDA) and Interior (DOI) 

develop a plan for the early 

detection of highly pathogenic 

avian influenza (HPAI) in the 

United States. To promote 

coordination among wildlife, 

agriculture, and human health 

agencies on HPAI surveillance 

efforts, the two Departments 

worked with representatives from 

the U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services, the International 

Association of Fish and Wildlife 

Agencies, and the Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game 

to develop the U.S. Interagency 

Strategic Plan for Early Detection 

of Asian H5N1 Highly Pathogenic 

Avian Influenza in Wild Migratory 

Birds.

The Plan consists of five strategies 

for the early detection of the Asian 

H5N1 avian influenza strain:

Investigation of morbidity and 

mortality events

Surveillance in live wild birds

Surveillance of hunter-killed 

birds

Sentinel species

Environmental sampling

The DOI surveillance efforts are 

focused on the investigation of 

morbidity/mortality events, live wild 

bird surveillance and the surveillance 

of hunter-killed birds. They involve 

collaboration among the U.S. 

Geological Survey (USGS), U.S. 

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), 

National Park Service (NPS), USDA, 

state and territorial agencies, the 

International Association of Fish 

and Wildlife Agencies, and the U.S. 

Migratory Bird Flyway Councils.

In the spring of 2006, USGS, FWS, 

NPS, and partner state and territorial 

wildlife agencies will expand 

surveillance efforts to include: 

Investigation of Disease Outbreaks 

in Wild Birds: The systematic 

investigation of disease events in 

wild birds offers the highest and 

earliest probability of detecting the 

Asian H5N1 strain, should it be 

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introduced into the United States 

by migratory birds. Biologists in 

state natural resource agencies 

and federal refuges and parks, 

primarily within the FWS National 

Wildlife Refuge System and the 

National Park System, are in the 

best position to detect and respond 

to mortality events involving wild 

birds. This strategy capitalizes on 

existing programs to investigate 

disease outbreaks that are 

conducted by DOI and its partners, 

and expands these efforts.

Targeted Surveillance for 

H5N1 in Live Wild Birds: This 

effort targets bird species in 

North America that represent the 

highest risk of being exposed to, 

or infected with, Asian H5N1 

avian influenza, because of their 

migratory movement patterns. 

Species being considered for 

sampling include birds that 

migrate directly between Asia, 

Oceania (including Hawaii and 

Trust Territories), and North 

America, and birds that may 

be in contact with species from 

areas in Asia with reported avian 

influenza outbreaks. This strategy 

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

February 2006 

Fact Sheet 2006–3025 Printed on recycled paper

Injecting eggs with avian influenza virus at 

the USGS National Wildlife Health Center.

The Federal Government initiates early 

detection efforts in wild birds
incorporates sampling of livecaptured, apparently healthy 

wild birds to detect the presence 

of H5N1 virus or antibodies 

to the virus. Data collected by 

organizations currently conducting 

research and monitoring for 

avian influenza in Alaska will be 

combined with additional bird 

captures to provide a broad species 

and geographic surveillance effort. 

This strategy also capitalizes on 

current research activities of DOI, 

USDA and other partners.

Targeted Sampling of HunterKilled Birds: Hunter check 

stations operated by the FWS and 

state natural resource agencies 

for waterfowl hunting provide an 

opportunity to collect additional 

samples to test for the presence 

of highly pathogenic H5N1 and 

other subtypes of avian influenza 

viruses. These samples supplement 

the targeted surveillance samples 

from live wild birds and focus on 

species that are most likely to have 

been exposed to HPAI in Asia; have 

relatively direct migratory pathways 

from those areas to the United States 

via Alaska or directly to the Pacific 

Coast; or that mix in migratory 

staging areas in Alaska with species 

that could bring the virus from 

Asia. Collection of samples from 

these species will occur at hunter 

check stations in the lower 48 states, 

as well as Alaska, during hunting 

seasons in areas where these birds 

gather during migration or overwintering. USGS and FWS are 

working with the four Migratory 

Bird Flyway Councils to develop 

sampling plans for hunter-killed 

birds.

While the Interagency Strategic 

plan addresses surveillance of 

the Asian H5N1 strain, questions 

remain that only field and 

laboratory research will be able 

to address:

Evaluating the risk that 

migratory birds will bring the 

H5N1 strain to North America.

Evaluating the role of wild 

birds in the spread and 

maintenance of HPAI in North 

America.

Understanding the pathology, 

epidemiology, transmission, 

and maintenance of the disease 

in North American migratory 

bird species.

Determining potential effects 

of HPAI on migratory bird 

populations in North America.

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For additional information, please contact 

Hon Ip (608-270-2464) or Paul Slota 

(608-270-2420) at the 

USGS National Wildlife Health Center

6006 Schroeder Road

Madison, WI 53711

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations