Experts believe chances are slim that avian flu will arrive in Greenwood. And if it does, it won't be this year.
Avian flu occurs naturally among birds. Wild birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines, but usually do not get sick from them, according to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga.
However, avian or bird flu is very contagious among birds and can make some domesticated birds, including chickens, ducks and turkeys, very sick and kill them.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks maintains migratory birds are no threat to this region.
"Far-fetched is the best description I can think of," said Larry Castle, chief of wildlife.
Sick birds cannot travel those type of distances. If a bird in Alaska does gets sick, it's not going to travel this far southeast, Castle said.
There are 110 reports of human cases in parts of Asia. Of those, 50 have been fatal, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center.
Christopher Brand, chief of research, said the center is keeping a close on its spread by migratory birds.
"Migratory birds have been implicated. But there has been no validation that they are spreading the disease," Brand said.
Infected birds shed flu virus in their saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. Susceptible birds become infected when they have contact with contaminated excretions or surfaces that are contaminated with excretions, according to the CDC.
It is believed that most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces.
The virus appears to be spreading west out of the Far East. On Thursday, it appeared in Turkey.
Researchers at the Wildlife Center worry that sea birds are crossing the Bering Strait from Siberia to Alaska.
Migratory birds could ingest the virus and then fly across the United States, Brand said.
Still, poultry farmers in Mississippi are staying cautious, according to Mike Pepper, president of the Mississippi Poultry Association.
"Everyone is taking steps to keep this virus out," Pepper said.
The way chickens are raised in America is decidedly different from Asia. The birds are contained, and rarely come into contact with wild fowl, Pepper said.
With the birds strictly confined, "a problem can be contained rather quickly," said Pepper.
