BOTTINEAU, ND (KXNET) — In Friday's Eye on Ag and Energy, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has been detected in Bottineau County. Ethan Andress, the state veterinarian with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, says that it starts with the sudden death of birds. Avian Influenza is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily among chickens and other birds. There are different ways for your chickens to catch HPAI, such as from flocks like snow geese, by sharing the same water from a bucket or pond. Leaders say it's very important to keep a line of separation from your birds and wild ones. People with heart disease are at higher risk of flu complications Andress says waterfowl have a lot of natural protection because of other influenza viruses circulating through their population all the time. "When influenza gets into our domestic poultry, they have been isolated and contained in an environment that's very clean, free of disease, so when that virus moves in and has the capability of being highly pathogenic, it can cause significant fatalities, significant disease that may not necessarily be seen in waterfowl because of their natural exposure that's occurred over the years of life," Andress said. Some signs of HPAI are fever, circulation issues, swelling around the eyes, and being quieter than normal. Andress adds that people should be careful when hunting birds because you don't want to track the virus in. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Today's Top Stories SIGN UP NOW