Industry just does not get it! Influenza viruses are not accidents, something un-natural to be exterminated somehow. These viruses and diseases like them is the natural system’s means of maintaining a balance in ecosystems. Human efforts to industrialize the raising of many different types of poultry for
profit continuously triggers “disease” responses from the natural system. Humans cannot alter this but we can learn to “farm” differently, in a manner that does not trigger “disease” responses. Trying to outsmart or bypass nature is a fools’ game that sometimes buys a bit of time for massive profit which is followed by unexpected results and humans pay with death from diseases that pass on to humans or massive die-offs that cause starvation.
H9N2 influenza virus has become endemic in different types of terrestrial poultry in multiple countries on the Eurasian continent, resulting in great economic losses due to reduced egg production or high mortality associated with co-infection with other pathogens. In China, which is regarded as an epicenter of avian influenza viruses, the H9N2 virus has been detected in multiple avian species. The first outbreak of the H9N2 influenza virus in China occurred in Guangdong province of Southern China during November 1992 to May 1994. These H9N2 viruses killed broilers with mortality of 10%-40%, and reduced the laying rates by 14%-75%. The H9N2 influenza virus is now the most revalent subtype of influenza viruses in chickens in China. H9N2 infections occur throughout the whole year, with lower morbidity in the summer. To prevent H9N2 infection in chickens, China implemented long-term vaccination programs in chicken farms as early as 1998. At least over twenty different commercial vaccines are used in China, with the vaccines are frequently updated. However, H9N2 avian influenza viruses continues to persist in chicken populations, even in vaccinated flocks.
Ned Hamson's Second Line View of the News 