Published Date: 2008-01-13 14:00:13
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (10): UK (England), swan, Iran, susp., Viet Nam
Archive Number: 20080113.0160
AVIAN INFLUENZA (10): UK (ENGLAND), SWAN, IRAN, SUSPECTED, VIET NAM
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In this update:
[1] UK, England, Dorset, mute swans
[2] UK, England, Dorset, mute swans
[3] Iran, suspected
[4] Viet Nam
******
[1] UK, England, Dorset, mute swans
Date: Sat 12 Jan 2008
Source: The Times [edited]
<http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3174644.ece>
Bird flu swans 'flew in from Europe'
------------------------------------
The strain of deadly flu found in 3 mute swans at Abbotsbury, Devon,
is a close match to the one that infected wild birds in the Czech
Republic last summer. Urgent testing is going on at the Veterinary
Laboratories Agency to find out the exact match of the virus and to
see how far it has spread in the country.
Experts believe that, because one of the dead birds was discovered as
long ago as 27 Dec 2007, the likelihood is that an infected bird
arrived during the cold snap on the Continent just before Christmas.
Among the species that flee to Britain in such weather are mallard,
teal, widgeon, pochard and gulls.
Then, 2 more dead birds were found at the swannery yesterday but this
has not yet raised particular alarm as there are usually 20 to 30
casualties among birds in January.
Poultry keepers in the control zone, which extends 15 miles southeast
of Abbotsbury, and includes Weymouth, Chesil Beach and Portland Bill,
were nervous as animal health officials inspected all registered
poultry farms. All birds inside the zone must be kept indoors.
[Byline: Valerie Elliot]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
******
[2] UK, England, Dorset, mute swans
Date: Fri 11 Jan 2008
Source: ThisisDorset.net [edited]
<http://www.thisisdorset.net/display.var.1959659.0.more_dead_swans_found_along_fleet.php>
More dead swans found along Fleet
-------------------------------------
Two more dead swans have been found along the Fleet in the UK amid a
bird flu alert. But staff at Abbotsbury Swannery say there is no
cause for alarm. A total of 3 swans there tested positive for the
H5N1 strain yesterday [Thu 10 Jan 2007].
Abbotsbury Tourism general manager John Houston said an average of 20
to 30 swans usually die at the swannery every January.
He said: "It's not unusual for birds to die in the winter of natural
causes. In fact, there are fewer dying at the moment than normal
because it's quite warm. Until I hear otherwise I am going to assume the best."
The animals were collected by Defra today and taken for testing at
the department's lab in Taunton. The result should be known at the
end of the weekend.
The swannery will be given the all-clear after 21 days if no birds
have tested positive for the virus.
[Byline: Sarah Goldthorpe]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
[According to reports received later on 12 Jan 2007, the 3 positive
swans were found dead on different dates, namely 27 Dec 2007, 31 Dec
2007 and 4 Jan 2008. The additional dead swans, detected during
recent days, have been found negative in the laboratory.
The Swannery, established by Benedictine monks who built a monastery
at Abbotsbury during the 1040, is one of the most popular tourist
attractions in the UK, home to 300 pairs of mute swans. The birds
stay within the locality and do not migrate. They are
semi-domesticated and are fed by the swannery staff; this deserves to
be taken in consideration as another route of introduced
contamination which deserves investigation. Though this moderator
will be surprised if feedborne infection is incriminated (since
chickens, regarded the usual sentinels for clinical HPAI, would have
been expected to be affected earlier than swans), should feed-borne
route be confirmed, it would mean that commercial and backyard
poultry in the area fed from the same source are at risk. At this
time in the UK there appear to be no wild bird outbreaks positively
linked to reported H5N1 outbreaks indicative of spill-over or
spill-back infections between UK poultry and wild bird populations.
Surveillance in wildlife deserves enhancement.
Abbotsbury Swannery's website is available at
<http://www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk/>.
As reported by Xinhua on Fri 11 Jan 2008 (communicated by Rapporteur
Mary Marshall), following the detection of this H5N1 disease focus,
adjacent to the British Channel's coast, France has elevated its bird
flu risk alert from "weak" to "moderate" on all of its territory.
There are 6 levels of risk in France: unimportant 1, unimportant 2,
weak, moderate, high and very high. The order took effect
immediately, according to the French ministry of Agriculture.
Domestic birds and poultry are being protected in an attempt to
prevent contact with wild birds. There will also be stringent
veterinary checks. - Mod.AS]
******
[3] Iran, suspected
Date: Sat 12 Jan 2008
Source: Iran Daily com [edited]
<http://www.iran-daily.com/1386/3036/html/economy.htm#s285687>
Samples Sent to Italy for Bird Flu Tests
----------------------------------------
Head of State Veterinary Organization said samples of wild and
domestic birds which perished following suspicious respiratory
infections resembling bird flu have been sent to Italy for tests. The
action was delayed due to New Year holidays, he added. Mojtaba
Norouzi told ISNA on Friday [11 Jan 2008] that the birds perished in
the vicinity of Anzali International Wetland in Gilan province and an
unnamed wetland in Mazandaran province.
The organization would cull poultries in places where birds with
suspicious respiratory diseases have been detected. This is in line
with precautionary measures taken by the organization and
compensations would be paid to owners.
Meanwhile, he said no poultry have so far tested positive for avian
flu and people can eat eggs and hens without anxiety. Norouzi told
ISNA that the advice of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education
to exercise caution does not mean that the disease has tested
positive across the country.
Iran appears on the list of countries in which bird flu has been
reported because of the outbreak of the disease among wild swans in
Anzali Wetland. No poultry has been identified with the virus.
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail Rapporteur Mary Marshall
[The results of the reference laboratory tests, as well as more
details on the species affected and background on clinical and
pathological observations leading to their sampling, will be
appreciated. - Mod.AS]
******
[4] Viet Nam
Date: 8 Jan 2008
Source: OIE's WAHID interface [edited]
<http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=6658>
Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Viet Nam
-----------------------------------------------------
Information received on 7 Jan 2008 from Mr Bui Quang Anh, Chief
Veterinary Officer, Department of Animal Health, Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development, HANOI, Vietnam
Summary:
Report type Follow-up report No. 14
Start date 6 Dec 2006
Report date 7 Jan 2008
Date submitted to OIE 7 Jan 2008
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 10 Aug 2006
Manifestation of disease: Clinical disease
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis: Clinical, Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
Report pertains to Defined zone within the country
New outbreaks [For locations, additional details, and map see the URL
above. - Mod.AS]
Summary of outbreaks:
Total outbreaks: 10
Total animals affected:
Species: Birds
Susceptible: 10839
Cases: 1388
Deaths: 1324
Destroyed: 9515
Slaughtered: 0
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[Information on additional outbreaks in Viet Nam is available in the
9 Jan 2008 Summary "Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
Situation in Viet Nam," available on the website of FAO's
Representation in Hanoi, Viet Nam, at
<http://fao.org.vn/new1.pdf>. - Mod.AS]
See Also
2007----
Avian influenza (189): Poland (Mazowsze) 20071218.4073
Avian influenza (188): Saudi Arabia, Germany (Brandenburg) 20071217.4061
Avian influenza (187): Europe, Middle East, Asia 20071213.4010
Avian influenza (186): Poland, Russia (Krasnodar) 20071212.4002
Avian influenza, poultry vs migratory birds (37): Europe 20071207.3947
Avian influenza (182): UK, Poland, Bangladesh 20071202.3887
Avian influenza (179): Romania, Saudi Arabia 20071128.3841
Avian influenza (172): UK (England), turkeys 20071115.3710
Avian influenza (171): Saudi Arabia, UK (England) 20071114.3701
Avian influenza (170): UK (England), turkeys, H5N1, OIE 20071114.3693
Avian influenza (169): UK (England), turkeys, H5N1 conf. 20071113.3686
Avian influenza (153): Russia (Krasnodar), swan 20070911.3009
Avian influenza, human (177): Pakistan, Viet Nam, Egypt 20071227.4152
Avian influenza, human (176): Egypt, Indonesia, Viet Nam, WHO 20071226.4146
Avian influenza, human (151) - Viet Nam, susp., clarification 20071116.3719
Avian influenza, human (148) : Viet Nam, susp., RFI, corr. 20071110.3647
Avian influenza, human (148) : Viet Nam, susp., RFI, corr. 20071110.3646
Avian influenza, human (148): Viet Nam, susp., RFI 20071108.3625
Avian influenza, human (128): Viet Nam 20070906.2941
Avian influenza, human (118): Viet Nam 20070807.2571
Avian influenza, human (116): Viet Nam, Egypt NOT 20070802.2506
Avian influenza, human (114): Viet Nam 20070731.2470
Avian influenza, human (107): Viet Nam, genome stability 20070706.2154
Avian influenza, human (105): Viet Nam, WHO 20070629.2094
2006
----
Undiagnosed disease, avian - Iran: RFI 20061225.3606
....................arn/ejp/dk
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