Virginia ? Virginia banned all live poultry sales and shows for the rest of July following the discovery of suspected avian flu antibodies in a flock of 54,000 turkeys on a Shenandoah County farm.

State veterinarian Richard Wilkes issued an order canceling all sales Monday, Elaine Lidholm, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, said Tuesday. The ban remains in effect until July 30.

Both low and the more severe high pathogenicity avian influenza pose no danger to humans, Lidholm said.

“The danger is really to the industry,” she said.

Wilkes also issued a ban in 17 counties on the transfer and application of poultry litter, a combination of floor shavings and manure that is processed into fertilizer or spread directly on fields.

Neighboring West Virginia on Monday suspended all poultry shows and sales for the next 30 days.

Nearly 5 million birds were destroyed in 2002 when Virginia had a full-fledged avian flu outbreak, according to Lidholm.