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Published Date: 2006-02-17 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza - worldwide (21): Europe, Africa
Archive Number: 20060217.0519

AVIAN INFLUENZA - WORLDWIDE (21): EUROPE, AFRICA
************************************************
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In this update:
[1] Hungary, swan, suspected
[2] Greece, additional swans
[3] Switzerland, swan - not
[4] Germany, swans, hawk, confirmed
[5] France, duck, 1st case, suspected
[6] Egypt, suspected
[7] Egypt, suspected, specific locations
[8] Mauritania, poultry, 1st case, suspected
******
[1] Hungary, swan, suspected
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: Reuters alertnet, 17 Feb 2006 [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L17635933.htm>

The H5N1 strain of bird flu is likely to be found in swans from
southern Hungary in which the H5 virus was confirmed on Wednesday [15
Feb 2006], the National Animal Health Institute said on Friday.
"On the basis of our results it is likely to be (the H5N1 virus), but
we can announce it officially only after [obtaining results from] the
Weybridge laboratory, which are likely to match ours," the
institute's director, Lajos Tekes, told Inforadio. The official
result from the British laboratory is expected in the coming days and
the Agriculture Ministry said there would be no final confirmation
until then.
The H5N1 form of the avian influenza virus has been confirmed in
fellow European Union countries Greece, Italy, Germany, Austria and
Slovenia, as well as Hungary's neighbours Romania and Croatia.
Hungary set up a safety zone around the villages in Bacs-Kiskun
county where the swans were found this month, and, according to media
reports, ordered the culling of poultry in 2 small farms as a
precaution.
Bacs-Kiskun is an important poultry producing region in Hungary's
agricultural heartland, and there is a farm housing 3000 ducks near
the villages.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Bacs-Kiskun, crossed by the Danube river, is situated in south
Hungary, bordering Serbia. Map at
<http://www.worldgazetteer.com/maps/m_100.png>.
Hungary is also a major goose-liver producer/exporter. - Mod.AS]
******
[2] Greece, additional swans
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: Reuters alertnet, 17 Feb 2006
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L17593652.htm>

Greece said on Friday it was sending [samples from] 3 new cases of
suspected H5 bird flu found in wild swans [species?!] in northeastern
Greece for testing at European Union laboratories in Britain to
determine whether it was the H5N1 strain.
"Today, after viral examinations we found suspected H5 bird flu in 2
samples of swans found in wetlands in the Rodopi prefecture and in
one swan in the Halkidiki prefecture," the Greek Ministry of
Agriculture said in a statement.
Greece on Thursday [16 Feb 2006] confirmed another 2 cases of H5N1
bird flu, bringing to 5 the number of wild fowl infected by the
disease since the 1st cases were discovered on Greek soil last
Saturday [11 Feb 2006].
Greece has implemented a series of precautionary measures to stop the
spread of the disease, including a clamp-down on egg and poultry
sales within a 10-km (6-mile) radius of where the infected fowl were
found.
The bird flu cases detected in Greece so far have been in migratory
birds and not in domesticated poultry.
Wildlife experts say an unusually large number of migratory birds
have arrived in Greece this winter, forced south from their usual
wintering grounds by severe winter conditions in northern Europe.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Remarkably, though the number of H5N1-infected wild birds -- mainly
swans -- is steadily increasing, so far not a single outbreak has
been identified in susceptible unvaccinated poultry (whether
domestic, commercial, or backyard) within the EU. One wonders how
long this lucky, almost inconceivable situation, will prevail.
Keeping domestic fowls indoors might, hopefully, help. - Mod.AS]
******
[3] Switzerland, swan - not
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006
From: Christian Griot <christian.griot@ivi.admin.ch>
Source: Federal Veterinary Office - BVET, 17 Feb 2006 [translated
from German, edited]

All tested swans found dead in Switzerland in recent days have been
found negative for the avian influenza virus by the reference
laboratory in Zurich. Though the death of wild swans is not unusual,
alertness should be maintained.
The federal authorities advise not to touch such birds when found,
but to notify the responsible cantonal authorities, who will take
charge and, if necessary, forward the birds to the laboratory in
Zurich.
Monitoring continues, since wild birds infected with the virus H5N1 may appear
in Switzerland as elsewhere. The results of the investigations are published
regularly on the InterNet page of the BVET <http://www.bvet.admin.ch/> [in
German -- if you enter this site through Google you can ask for an instant
translation of the site, which will lead you to the page on Intensive
monitoring of migratory birds and poultry. - Mod.JW].
If positive case(s) are found, protection zones will be established
around the discovery site by the canton's veterinary authority. The
prescribed measures will be applied within the zone, including
monitoring in poultry farms, movement restrictions, etc.
--
Christian Griot
<christian.griot@ivi.admin.ch>
[The suspicion, now ruled out, was included in 20060216.0504. - Mod.AS]
******
[4] Germany, swans, hawk, confirmed
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: OIE AI update - Germany's notification, 16 Feb 2006 [edited]
<http://oie.int/downld/AVIAN%20INFLUENZA/Germany_AI_16_02_2006.pdf>

The following new data related to the identification of H5N1 in wild
birds in Germany are derived from the above "Immediate
notification", sent by Professor Werner Zwingmann, CVO, on 16 Feb
2006. The reason given for notification was: "First occurrence of a
listed disease or infection in a country".
4 swans and 1 goshawk were found dead on 8 Feb 2006 in 2 locations in
the north of the island of Rugen in the Baltic sea. AIV H5N1 has been
diagnosed in 2 of the swans (_Cygnus olor_, _Cygnus cygnus_) and the
goshawk by NRL Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut and confirmed by CRL
Weybridge [UK].
Further details of the 3 positive birds:
1. _Cygnus olor_ (mute swan, picture at
<http://www.fnal.gov/ecology/wildlife/pics/Mute_Swan.jpg>), found in
the countryside near the village of Wiek;
2. _Cygnus cygnus_ (Whooper swan, picture at
<http://www.swanuk.org.uk/whooper%20on%20water.jpg>), found same
location;
3. _Accipiter gentilis_ (goshawk, picture at
<http://www.zakovska.havirov.indos.cz/images/ptaci/ptaci-foto/11%20jestr�
20lesn�0-%20Accipiter%20gentilis.jpg>),
found near the village of Dranske.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[A map of Wiek: <http://www.fallingrain.com/world/GM/12/Wiek.html>;
a map of Dranske: <http://www.fallingrain.com/world/GM/12/Dranske.html>].
******
[5] France, duck, 1st case, suspected
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: Reuters alertnet, 17 Feb 2006 [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PAB002359.htm>

Tests on a dead duck found in eastern France showed it had the H5
strain of bird flu and probably had the H5N1 strain, the Agriculture
Ministry said on Friday.
Further tests were being conducted on the duck, which was found dead
on Monday [13 Feb 2006], a ministry communique said. The H5N1 strain
has killed at least 91 people around the world.
"The test showed the H5 virus was present and had strong similarities
with the H5N1 Asian influenza," it said. "Further tests are under
way."
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Confirmation of this suspected case, the 1st in France, is
anticipated. Compulsory housing of poultry, preventing their exposure
to wild birds, has been prescribed by the French authorities.
However, some domestic water-birds are kept outdoors; their
protection might call for other measures, such as vaccination. -
Mod.AS]
******
[6] Egypt, suspected
Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2006
From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry@btinternet.com>
Source: Reuters alertnet, 17 Feb 2006 [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L17684417.htm>

Cases of the killer H5N1 bird flu virus have been found in dead birds
in 3 areas of Egypt, a senior official from the World Health
Organisation (WHO) told Reuters on Friday.
"There is avian flu now in Egypt," Hassan el Bushra, regional adviser
for emerging diseases in the eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of
WHO said.
He did not name the 3 areas but said birds had died from the deadly
H5N1 virus. He said there were no human cases.
Earlier, an Egyptian government official said ministers were meeting to
discuss the possibility that a case of some bird deaths in the Egyptian
capital [Cairo] area may have been due to the deadly virus. The meeting
included Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and the agriculture, interior, defence and
information ministers.
Egypt has banned the import of live birds and has tightened
quarantine controls at airports to keep out bird flu. It has also
cancelled the annual bird hunting season to minimise contacts between
people and migrant birds.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The above newswire is rather ambiguous, lacking data on the species
involved (domestic or wild birds?), chronology, exact locations,
diagnostic methods, laboratory(ies) involved, and results. Further
information is anticipated with concern; needless to mention, Egypt
has dense animal and human populations located on a major flyway
between Europe and Africa. - Mod.AS]
******
[7] Egypt, specific locations
Date 17 Feb 2006
From: Nati Elkin <nati@poultrymed.com>.
Source: Brownfield website / Reuters [edited]
<http://www.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=78EF611F-F5DA-50FF-
0ECEE02C71CDAB83>

Egypt has joined the list of countries with cases of bird flu.
Officials at the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) have
confirmed the H5N1 version of avian influenza has been found in dead
birds in Egypt. The WHO regional advisor for emerging diseases told
Reuters the disease had been found in 3 areas of the country. Other
sources identify Giza, just across the Nile from Cairo, and the
southern cities of Minya and Qena.
[Byline: Bob Meyer]
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[See map at: <http://www.utlcairo.org/images/shsr_Area_Map.jpg> where the
names are spelled El Giza, El Minya and Qena -- Minya being about halfway
between Cairo & Qena. - Mod.JW]
******
[8] Mauritania, poulty, 1st case, suspected
Date: 17 Feb 2006.
From: Alfonso Rodriguez, M.D.<ajrm_msds@yahoo.es>
Source: Angola Press News. 02/17/2006.
<http://www.angolapress-angop.ao/noticia-e.asp?ID=417643>

Several suspicious deaths of poultry have been reported over the past
few days in the Mauritanian locality of Toufde-Civet, Kaedi region,
within the Senegal River basin, official sources said here Monday.
The deaths reported near the Mauritanian border with Senegal and 2
nearby villages, the sources said, adding that a joint delegation
from the ministries of health and of rural development and
environment, visited the area at the weekend.
The team, which took samples of blood and organs, also helped to
slaughter and incinerate scores of chickens in the area, the sources
said, explaining that the samples were taken for analysis in Dakar,
Senegal.
The delegation considered the zone to be "a possible bird flu infection area."
Bird flu has been reported in northern and central Nigeria, prompting
authorities in Nouakchott to ban all poultry imports from that
country, which accounts for more than 30 percent of Mauritania's
poultry supply.
Mauritania is considered a major transit route for wild migratory
birds from Europe.
At a meeting in Tunisia last Friday, the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)
member States adopted a joint plan to fight bird flu, which has
killed at least 100 people and millions of birds in Europe and Asia
beginning in 2003.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[See map at: <http://www.world66.com/africa/mauritania>. - Mod.JW]

See Also