Last week’s positive test for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) appears to be confined within the borders of Indiana and officials are hoping to keep it that way. The disease has affected 401,000 birds, 245,000 turkeys and 156,000 chickens after first being detected and confirmed last Thursday. Since the initial confirmation of the H7N8 strain of the virus, several more positive confirmations were reported, but many turned out to be low-path strains of the virus. According to John Clifford, USDA’s chief veterinarian, “it appears that there was a low pathogenic virus circulating in the poultry population in this area, and that virus likely mutated into a highly pathogenic virus in one flock.” Dealers are reminded to follow safety precautions when servicing equipment in affected areas.