- Hello Jeff - The UK awaits the migration of birds
heading to the UK and carrying Avian Influenza, specifically H5N1 high
path.
-
- From ProMed
-
- Avian Influenza Update:
- By Valerie Elliott
- The Times Online
- 7-16-7
-
- The UK Government has given warning that wild birds migrating
to Britain over the next few weeks may be carrying the H5N1 strain of avian
flu. Debby Reynolds, the Chief Veterinary Officer, is ready to order poultry
to be kept indoors if farms are deemed to be at risk. A risk assessment
published by the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs [DEFRA]
states that the highest risk is from birds that have passed through the
Czech Republic, Germany, and France. Last month [June 2007] there were
3 outbreaks of the flu strain in the Czech Republic, and 3 cases in southern
Germany. There was also an outbreak in France this month [July 2007], and
experts expect more cases.
-
- The greatest threat is believed to be from the black-headed
gull, which returns to Britain from the area around the Baltic Sea. About
50 000 to 100 000 pairs of these gulls breed in the Czech Republic before
leaving for other parts of Western Europe, including Britain. These birds
could appear this month [July 2007]. The other imminent threat is from
the mallard, which will start returning to Britain next month [August 2007].
Mallards breed in large numbers throughout Europe, with 25 000 to 45 000
pairs in the Czech Republic and 200 000 to 400 000 pairs in Germany.
-
- The experts do not yet know which bird species is spreading
the virus, but they believe that several species will move to Britain from
infected areas.
-
- Customs officers are making secret checks on [presumably
commercial - MHJ] flights from affected areas. Sniffer dogs are being used
at Heathrow and Gatwick [airports] to identify illegal imports of poultry
meat, cooked and raw, and eggs that may carry the H5N1 virus. Among the
flights [from which] passengers and baggage being screened for possible
smuggled food are those from China, Russia, Egypt, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
-
- http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article2080596.ece
-
-
- _______________________
-
-
- Germany - FLI surveillance report Source: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut
(FLI) website (in German, trans. Mod.AS, extracted, edited)
-
- Epidemiological situation of avian influenza (AI) in
Germany Bulletin Nr.06/2007
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------
- Results Of Avian Influenze (AI) Surveillance In Wild
Birds:
-
- So far during 2007, 240 wild birds have been found Avian
-
- Influenza positive. Of these, 72 were found
H5N1 positive by the
-
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute
for Animal Health on the Island of Riems, while 168 wild birds were found
H5-positive by veterinary laboratories elsewhere. Though, for technical
reasons, their neuraminidase component was not analysed, there are epidemiological
grounds to assume that these birds were also infected by the HPAI H5N1
virus.
-
- http://www.fli.bund.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Dokumente/News/aktuelle
- _Krankheitsgeschehen/avi_Flu/lb_influenza070712.pdf
-
-
- ______
-
-
- Communicated by ProMED-mail
- <mailto:promed@promedmail.org>promed@promedmail.org
-
- Patricia A. Doyle DVM, PhD
- Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural Economics
- Univ of West Indies
-
- Please visit my "Emerging Diseases" message
board at:
- http://www.emergingdisease.org/phpbb/index.php
- Also my new website:
- http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/
- Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
- Go with God and in Good Health
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