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 andwell-being lifestyle. Developing new cross hybrid and making brand in Korean native chickens serve as an example ofpursuing a well-being life. However, lack of systematic management, intervention from the small scaled middlemenduring the multi-stages of marketing, poor hygiene at moorings and live bird market, and possibility of contacting towild birds have been pointed out as risk factors to the outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), especiallyfor small back yard flocks. This study describes the schema of husbandry and marketing on Korean native chickens, andtheir putative associations with the outbreaks of HPAI during the last two big epidemics occurred in the Republic ofKorea, which were in the year of 2008 and 2010/2011.