Review of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in poultry in Zaria, Nigeria

All the confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza cases that were diagnosed in Zaria at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, were reviewed in this study. The outbreaks occurred between the months of December, 2006 and March, 2007. The clinical signs and postmortem lesions were similar to those observed in avian influenza outbreaks elsewhere. It was observed that the cold windy harmattan condition, the addition of new birds into an already existing flock, the low compensation rate paid to farmers; and poor biosecurity measures on the affected farms might have contributed to the spread of the disease in Zaria and environs.