National Veterinary Services Laboratories

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected on Texas Coast

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in domesticated swans in Nueces County. As expected by disease experts, HPAI is circulating among wild birds in Texas as fall migration begins for waterbirds and waterfowl. Detected in all states across the U.S. except Hawaii, HPAI is a highly contagious virus that transmits easily among wild and domestic birds. The virus can spread directly between animals and indirectly through […]

First Texas Case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Mammals

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed this week the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a striped skunk recovered from Carson County. This is the first confirmed case of HPAI in mammals for Texas. Detected in all states across the U.S. except Hawaii, HPAI is a highly contagious virus that transmits easily among wild and domestic birds. The virus can spread directly between animals and indirectly through environmental contamination. For mammals, current data shows transmission occurs primarily through […]

TPWD Recommends Necessary Precautions to Reduce Spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Recently, the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a backyard poultry flock in Dallas County. As expected by disease experts, HPAI is again circulating amongst wild birds in Texas as fall migration has begun for waterbirds and waterfowl. Earlier this year, HPAI was discovered in a bald eagle and a horned owl in Texas. HPAI has been detected in 46 states across the country and is […]

First Case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in a Wild Bird in Texas

The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed this week the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a great horned owl at a rehabilitation facility in Wichita County — the first such confirmed case in a wild bird in Texas. The facility quickly notified the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) after the owl began to show clinical signs consistent with HPAI. This case of HPAI follows an early April detection of the disease […]