Epidemiological characteristics of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza in Korean native chickens

During the past dozens of years, animal species indigenous to Korea has been emerged as a symbol of healthy and well-being lifestyle. Developing new cross hybrid and making brand in Korean native chickens serve as an example of pursuing a well-being life. However, lack of systematic management, intervention from the small scaled middlemen during the multi-stages of marketing, poor hygiene at moorings and live bird market, and possibility of contacting to wild birds have been pointed out as risk factors to the outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), especially for small back yard flocks. This study describes the schema of husbandry and marketing on Korean native chickens, and their putative associations with the outbreaks of HPAI during the last two big epidemics occurred in the Republic of Korea, which were in the year of 2008 and 2010/2011.