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Published Date: 2006-02-19 23:50:00
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza - worldwide (23): Europe, Asia, Africa
Archive Number: 20060219.0541

AVIAN INFLUENZA - WORLDWIDE (23): EUROPE, ASIA, AFRICA
*******************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
In this update:
[1] Indonesia (West and Central Java)
[2] Germany (Ruegen), 59 wild birds, confirmed
[3] India (Maharashtra)
[4] Egypt
******
[1] Indonesia (West and Central Java)
Date: Sun 19 Feb 2006
From: Joseph Dudley <jdudley@eaicorp.com>
Source: The Jakarta Post, 18 Feb 2006 [edited]
<http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20060218.A01&irec=0>

Spread of avian flu jumps in West and Central Java
-----------------------------------------------
Officials are planning emergency measures to deal with a worrisome
spike in the incidence of avian flu in densely populated West and
Central Java.
"Almost no region (in West Java) is free from bird flu infection,"
Fatimah Resmiati of the West Java health office told The Jakarta Post
on Friday [17 Feb 2006].
Data from the office showed that chickens tested positive for the
deadly H5N1 virus in 17 of the 25 regencies in West Java, while human
infection has been found in 12 regencies.
Resmiati blamed the fast spread of the virus on the limited control
of the traffic of live chickens in West Java.
"In the period from September 2005 to 14 Feb 2006, up to 50 people
were suspected of being infected with the bird flu virus, of whom 15
died, with 10 confirmed as positive for the virus," she said.
West Java Governor Danny Setiawan was scheduled to hold an emergency
meeting on curbing the spread of bird flu on Monday [19 Feb 2006]
with all regents and mayors.
In Central Java, representatives from the province's 35 regencies
will be invited to a ceremony for the avian flu eradication campaign
in Ungaran, Semarang regency, on Wednesday [21 Feb 2006].
Central Java Deputy Governor Ali Mufiz said in Semarang on Thu 16 Feb
2006 that the government would go ahead with its plan to undergo mass
culling of infected chickens.
"We are still in the process of collecting data. Like the mass
culling in 2005, this year's culling has to be conducted
selectively," he said.
Central Java Governor Mardiyanto also confirmed in Surakarta that
mass culling would be conducted in 5 regencies -- Boyolali, Klaten,
Karanganyar, Sukoharjo and Sragen -- where 151 000 of 161 640
chickens tested positive for the virus.
"However, there is no need for the public to worry about the culling,
as the government will provide compensation for the culled chickens,"
he said.
The provincial administration earmarked Rp 32 billion (USD 3.45
million) for the culling, with farmers compensated at Rp 10 000 (USD
1.85) for each chicken killed.
The Central Java health office will also distribute 12 million bird
flu vaccine samples this year [2006], more than double the amount of
5 million distributed last year.
The bird flu virus has killed at least 90 people worldwide since the
end of 2003, 18 in Indonesia.
The increasing number of birth flu deaths in the country prompted the
government last November [2005] to deploy troops and volunteers to
conduct door-to-door checks for fowl infected with the virus.
The search was 1st concentrated in Greater Jakarta and areas deemed
"difficult" for officials to detect the avian influenza virus.
[Byline: Yuli Tri Suwarni and Suherdjoko]
--
Joseph Dudley
<jdudley@eaicorp.com>
[See Java map at
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/indonesia.gif>
= Mod.JW]
******
[2] Germany (Ruegen), 59 wild birds, confirmed
Date: Sun 19 Feb 2006
From: Timm Harder <timm.harder@fli.bund.de>

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, wild aquatic birds, Germany
-----------------------------------------------
Increased mortality has been observed since 10 Feb 2006 among mute
and whooper swans as well as other wild aquatic birds wintering along
the northwestern shores of the Island of Ruegen, located in the
Baltic Sea off the coast of Germany.
Diagnostic investigation of carcasses of more than 200 wild birds by
real time RT PCRs specifically detecting avian influenza virus
subtype H5N1 revealed highly positive results in, so far, 59 samples
from several species, including whooper (_Cygnus cygnus_) and mute
swans (_Cygnus olor_), Canada geese (_Branta canadensis_), tufted
ducks (_Aythya fuligula_) and a hawk (_Accipiter gentilis_).
Excessive viral loads indicated highly acute systemic infection.
Sequencing of the HA proteolytical cleavage site showed a polybasic
pattern (SPQGERRRKKR*GLF) indicative of highly pathogenic properties.
Limited phylogenetic analysis of a 600 nt fragment of the HA gene
revealed closest relationship with recent isolates from Romania, and,
more distantly, with sequences from whooper swans of Lake Erkhul,
Mongolia.
All positive cases are restricted to the island of Ruegen, where
large numbers of migratory birds are wintering. Monitoring activities
of wild birds in surrounding areas have been increased in order to
detect any spreading tendencies. Protection and surveillance zones
targeting poultry holdings have been immediately implemented
according to EU legislation. No outbreaks have been observed in
poultry.
[Byline: Martin Beer, Elke Starick, Bernd Hoffmann, Anja Globig, Jens
Teifke, Robert Klopfleisch, Timm C. Harder, Ortrud Werner, Thomas C.
Mettenleiter]
--
Timm Harder
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute
Institute of Diagnostic Virology
OIE and National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza
Boddenblick 5a
D-17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems
<timm.harder@fli.bund.de>
[The above firsthand information from OIE's reference laboratory in
Germany is most welcomed. The list of OIE's 6 reference laboratories
is available at
<http://oie.int/eng/oie/organisation/en_listeLR.htm>.
Significant mortality of wild birds belonging to several species, and
the detection of the disease agent in a high proportion of the tested
carcasses, are reminiscent of the events described in May 2005 in
northern China (Qinghai Lake) and later in Mongolia (Lake Erkhul).
It will be interesting to obtain scientific ornithological
information on the migration patterns of the affected species
involved, as well as of other migratory (aquatic and terrestrial)
birds which might have arrived recently at the island of Ruegen. Is
an active serological/virological surveillance there being
contemplated?! - Mod.AS]
[See map at <http://www.blumi.ch/reisen/ostsee/Karte.jpg>
See bird images at:
Whooper swan (_Cygnus cygnus_)
<http://www.ivnvechtplassen.org/ivn_vogels_winter/Wilde_Zwaan_Cygnus-
cygnus.jpg>
Mute swan (_Cygnus olor_)
<http://pdubois.free.fr/oiseaux/images/CygnusOlor1.jpg>
Canada goose (_Branta canadensis_)
<http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/Arch03/1120638394.jpg>
Tufted duck (_Aythya fuligula_)
<http://e-info.org.tw/topic/bird/Aythya-fuligula/Aythya-fuligula-1.jpg>
Hawk (_Accipiter gentilis_)
<http://www.zakovska.havirov.indos.cz/images/ptaci/ptaci-foto/11%20jest��
20lesn�0-%20Accipiter%20gentilis.jpg>
- Mod.JW]

******
[3] India (Marashtra)
Date: Sun 19 Feb 2006
From: Pablo Nart <pablo.nart@terra.es>
Source: Bloomberg.com, 19 Feb 2006 [edited]
<http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=a3EX6ONUx8H8&refer=asia>

India to Cull 700 000 Chickens on Detecting Bird Flu
----------------------------------------------------
India will cull about 700 000 chickens in the western part of the
country to prevent the spread of avian influenza, after the 1st cases
of the viral outbreak were reported in poultry yesterday [18 Feb
2006].
The deadly H5N1 virus was detected in chickens in the western state of
Maharashtra, of which Mumbai [Bombat], the country's commercial hub, is the
capital. The virus has affected as many as 52 poultry farms at Nawapur, in
Nandurbar district in the northern part of the state.
"We have called a meeting of poultry farmers" in the area, Anees
Ahmed, Maharashtra's animal husbandry minister, said today [19 Feb
2006] in an interview. The culling "is the 1st step" toward tackling
the outbreak, he said.
The Maharashtra state administration has created 60 teams to cull
fowl in 19 villages, Pradeep Deshpande, the superintendent of police
in Nandurbar, said in a telephone interview. The police have cordoned
off the villages and identified 48 chicken farms where the birds will
be culled.
"We do not anticipate resistance to the culling, as the chicken
farmers know it is a major outbreak," Deshpande said. "Compensation
will have to be given, and the administration is working on it."
Maharashtra's Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh will address the media
this afternoon [19 Feb 2006] in Mumbai to discuss the outbreak, and
India's health ministry will speak to the press this evening in New
Delhi.
India's poultry population was 489 million in 2003, according to the
latest livestock census released in January last year [2005]. The
southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh had the highest number of
poultry, at 102.3 million. The poultry population increased 45
percent from 1997.
Nandurbar district had 3.1 million poultry, according to the census.
The Indian government said yesterday [18 Feb 2006] it is taking all
precautions, including putting the affected area under quarantine and
keeping people who've been in contact with the birds under
observation. People in affected areas are being advised to avoid
eating chicken and maintain "proper hygiene and sanitation."
--
Pablo Nart
<pablo.nart@terra.es>
[According to the information given earlier by the Navapur (Nawapur)
Poultry Farmers Association President (see 20060214.0492), "there are
nearly 1.2 - 1.4 million laying birds in 60-odd poultry sheds around
Navapur. These sheds supply eggs to Nashik, Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Surat
(Gujarat), Indore (MP), Mumbai and Hyderabad." - Mod.AS]
[See map <http://www.geocities.com/nandurbar_maharashtra/map3.gif>
= Mod.JW]
******
[4] Egypt
Date: Sun 19 Feb 2006
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Reuters Alertnet, 19 Feb 2006 [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L19119642.htm>

Cairo zoo closes after zoo birds die of flu
-------------------------------------------
The Egyptian authorities closed Cairo zoo and 7 other state-run zoos
around the country for 2 weeks from Sunday [19 Feb 2006], after 83
birds died there, some from the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu.
Witnesses saw dead and sick birds inside the zoo grounds on Sunday
[19 Feb 2006], and the Health Ministry said that 6 of the 83 dead
birds had tested positive for bird flu.
A ministry statement said they included species of ducks, turkeys and
Chinese geese [exact species details will be appreciated. - Mod.AS].
The zoo has slaughtered 563 birds and drained all the ponds there, it
added.
On Sunday [19 Feb 2006], zoo workers sprinkled disinfectant around
the cages, and zoo manager Talaat Sidraus told reporters the aim was
to gain control of the situation "before disaster strikes."
Since the 1st announcement on Fri 17 Feb 2006, the authorities have
reported cases of bird flu among poultry in at least 7 provinces,
stretching from Dakahlia in the northeast of the Nile Delta to Qena
in the far south.
About 1000 poultry from private houses have been culled, along with
10 000 birds at a chicken farm north of Cairo.
On Sunday [19 Feb 2006], merchants who normally slaughter and sell
live chickens on the street had closed in compliance with a ban. Some
remained open but had few customers.
The government said it was importing 73 000 doses of Tamiflu, one of
the few medicines thought to alleviate the symptoms of the disease
when it hits humans.
Gabali said the authorities were increasing to 20 the number of
hotlines for possible bird flu reports, after receiving 7000 calls
since announcing the 1st cases.
No human cases have been diagnosed in Egypt.
--
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[The Zoo at Giza is one of the oldest in the world, opened in 1891.
Its area is about 80 Feddans (336 000 sq meters), located near the
west bank of the Nile and densely inhabited by numerous animal
species. The Zoo is under the direct supervision of the Ministry of
Agriculture in Egypt. Cairo is the 16th most populous metropolitan
area in the world, with a population of approximately 15.2 million
people.
If the reports on the presence of infection in several regions of
Egypt are confirmed, it may mean that the infection has been there
already for an extended period, counted in weeks, at least. - Mod.AS]
[See image
<http://webmagick.sourceforge.net/samples/one/Egypt/Sphinx/DOT_Egypt_Giza_Sphin
x_3.jpg>
- Mod.JW]

See Also