Tennesse chicken flock found with mild bird flu

CHICAG0, May 5 (Reuters) - A Tennessee flock of breeder hens being raised for Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N) was destroyed after tests showed the presence of mild avian influenza, Tyson said on Tuesday.

The 15,000 birds showed no signs of illness and there appeared to be no threat to human health, Tyson said.

The affected birds were at a contract grower in Lincoln County, Tennessee. The H7N9 flu antibodies found in the birds is not the more serious highly pathogenic H5N1 strain that was in Asia, Europe and Africa.

The strain also is not related to the H1N1 influenza virus, which has recently been called swine flu.

The finding in the Tennessee flock prompted Tyson to increase surveillance for avian flu in area flocks.