By Sandra Avant

March 3, 2014

A number of poultry industry groups are using a less costly method to collect avian influenza virus samples, thanks to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists.

Avian influenza is a foreign disease that infects poultry and other bird species. Viruses identified as highly pathogenic cause severe disease, killing more than 90 percent of infected birds. Low pathogenic viruses are not as severe, but can cause sickness in birds as well as financial losses

Read more: New Avian Influenza Sampling Method Saves Money