DETECTION OF A HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (HPAI) H5N1 OUTBREAK AT A BREEDER HEN FARM IN GUADALAJARA AND CLINICAL SUSPICION OF HPAI IN HUELVA
Guadalajara, Spain, 8-Sept-2025, 20:00 hours. The veterinary authorities of the Junta de Castilla-La Mancha have just notified today an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), subtype H5N1, at a breeder hen holding in Pozo de Guadalajara, province of Guadalajara. The holding has approximately 37,300 birds. This is the fourth case at a commercial poultry farm in Spain in 2025.
- Detection: Suspicion arose on 4 September 2025 due to an abnormal increase in mortality.
- Confirmation: The Central Veterinary Laboratory (LCV) in Algete confirmed the presence of HPAI H5N1.
- Measures taken:
- Immediate standstill of the holding and those located within a 10 km radius.
- Preventive culling of birds, cleaning and disinfection.
- Establishment of restriction zones: 3 km protection zone (4 commercial holdings) and 3–10 km surveillance zone (2 commercial holdings and 1 non-commercial holding).
- Official disposal of carcasses, feed and contaminated materials.
- Probable source: Indirect contact with wild birds.
Possible fifth case, this time in Huelva
The Andalusian authorities reported a clinical suspicion of HPAI at a holding of 8,400 birds in Valverde del Camino, Huelva. The LCV confirmed a positive PCR result for H5, with pathogenicity pending confirmation.
UPDATE 9 Sept 2025:
MAPA, through its official list of Latest registered notifications of notifiable animal diseases in Spain, has just confirmed this case as positive, making the 8,400 birds at Valverde del Camino (Huelva, Andalusia) the fifth confirmed case of H5N1 at poultry farms in Spain in 2025.
- Measures: Standstill of the holding and those within 3 and 10 km radii, culling of birds and disposal of contaminated materials.
Current epidemiological situation in Spain (as of 8 Sept. 2025)
- Outbreaks in poultry: 4 (1 in Extremadura, 2 in Castilla-La Mancha, 1 in Andalusia).
- Outbreaks in captive birds: 1 in the Basque Country.
- Cases in wild birds: 31 in Extremadura, Castilla y León, Galicia, Asturias, the Basque Country, Catalonia and Andalusia.
For more information on Avian Influenza:
-. News on Vaccination of poultry farmers and personnel in contact with production birds to prevent zoonosis risks.
-. News on Vaccination of production birds to prevent AI outbreaks.
-. Triple avian influenza alert: Portugal, Spain and Germany confirm cases at poultry farms. (5 Sept 2025)
-. Avian Influenza on NeXusAvicultura