A bird flu vaccination campaign launched in France in 2023 has enabled the country’s poultry production to recover to levels not seen since outbreaks of the virus wiped out tens of millions of birds, producers said on Tuesday.
Avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, is a viral disease that has ravaged poultry flocks worldwide in recent years. There has also been evidence of transmission beyond birds, including dairy cows and farm workers in the United States.
France requires vaccination of ducks, the most sensitive species to the virus, making it the world’s first large poultry exporter to launch a nationwide bird flu vaccine campaign.
But some countries have put restrictions on French imports as a result – concerned that vaccinated birds pose a risk as they may not show signs of infection, meaning it is impossible to…