- Avian Influenza In Poland
-
- Authorities and veterinary experts have confirmed today
[5 Mar 2006] the 1st case of H5 influenza virus detected in 2 dead swans
found in the city of Torun in the middle of Poland. The dead birds were
found in the city water sports club area near the Vistula [Wisla] river.
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- 1st results of examinations performed in the National
Veterinary Institute in Pulawy suggested that both swans died of the highly
pathogenic H5 influenza virus. Samples will be sent on Monday [6 Mar 2006]
to Weybridge [UK] for confirmation.
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- The local veterinary authorities and crisis management
team have introduced an emergency plan with introduction of protection
and surveillance zones, increasing the awareness of the population in the
city of Torun [Turun], and enhanced control measures in the agricultural
sector outside the city.
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- From Pawel Grzesiowski, MD, PhD
National Institute of Public Health,
Dept. of Prevention of Infection
00-725 Warsaw, Poland
paolo@cls.edu.pl
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- We are grateful to Dr. Grzesiowski for this firsthand
information.
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- According to additional media reports, the Polish authorities
have informed the European Commission and have taken precautionary measures.
They have established a high risk area of 3 km (2 miles) around the outbreak
and a surveillance zone of 10 km. Restrictions have also been placed on
the 6 poultry farms and 4 processing plants in the region.
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- The farm minister and the country's chief vet said Poland
was well-prepared to deal with the outbreak.
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- Poland last month [January 2006] imposed a ban on keeping
poultry in open spaces after bird flu was confirmed in neighboring Germany.
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- Turun is about 160 km northwest of Warsaw; see map at
http://www.supertravelnet.com/maps/index.
- php?action=showmap&country=237_0_4&language=1
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- Data on the species of the affected swans, and results
of the reference laboratory, when received, will be appreciated.
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- Affected wild birds -- mainly swans -- have been recorded,
since the beginning of February 2006, in 13 European countries without
involvement of domestic poultry (Austria, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden & Switzerland
(where 4 additional cases in wild ducks have been reported during the weekend).
A 14th country, France, experienced infected swans in several sites, while
a single commercial turkey farm, adjacent to the site where infected swans
were located, has been found infected. One wonders whether the absence
of recorded infected wild birds in other central and north European countries
(excluding the UK (where extensive tests have, reportedly, been performed)
reflects absence of disease or rather a less active surveillance. - Mod.AS
-
- ******
-
- Wild Birds Infected In France
- Source - Mi Punto.com, Noticias
5 Mar 2006
(In Spanish, English summary by Mod.JW, edited)
-
- http://www.mipunto.com/punto_noticias/noticia_
- medicina.jsp?tipo=MEDICINA&archivo=
- 060305153814.wegw7zsb.txt
-
- As announced Sun 5 Mar 2006 by the Minister of Agriculture,
H5N1 has been detected in a swan in the region Bouches-du-Rhone (south)
and in a duck in Ain (east).
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- So far, 31 wild birds have been found positive in France,
30 in Ain, and now the 1st report from elsewhere.
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- The swan [species?!] was found on 28 Feb 2006 in Saint-Mitre-les-Ramparts,
near Berre.
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- Map at http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-map
- /images/map-france-departments-6-460k-1100x1220.jpg
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- Ain is right above the R of the word Rhone-Alpes on the
east, & Bouches-du- Rhone's capital is Marseille, the only red dot
right on the Mediterranean coastline. - Mod.JW
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- The duck [species?!] was found [no date] in Prevessin-Moens,
just across the Swiss border from Geneva.
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- Confirmation as HPAI was received from the national laboratory
of AFSSA (French Agency of Sanitary Food Safety) in Ploufragan (west).
-
- ProMED-mail promed@promedmail.org
-
- *****
-
- Uganda - Thousands Of Poultry Dead - H5 Suspected
Source: Monitor, Uganda, 5 Mar 2006
http://www.monitor.co.ug/sunday/news/news03052.php
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- The unexplained death of thousands of birds on poultry
farms in several districts has thrown health and veterinary authorities
into a panic, fearing that it could be avian influenza, commonly known
as bird flu. Thousands of birds have died on poultry farms in several districts
in central and eastern Uganda in the past week alone.
-
- Dr. Christopher Rutebarika, the assistant commissioner
for veterinary health and disease control in the Ministry of Agriculture,
confirmed the deaths in a telephone interview on Friday [3 Mar 2006]. He
said samples had been taken out of the country for tests but that the results
were yet to be known. "We are awaiting the results of the tests,"
he said. "It is after we get the results that we shall determine what
action to take."
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- But on a positive note, he said, bird flu testing kits
have arrived in the country; hence there will be no more need to send samples
abroad for testing [though confirmation at reference labs should always
be sought - Mod.AS].
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- The government has undertaken several preparatory steps
to counter the virus, should it strike. A multi-sector National Task Force
has been constituted, comprising Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture,
Ministry of Tourism and Trade, Uganda Wildlife Authority, poultry associations
and other partners to prepare and set up an emergency response mechanism.
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- Uganda location map http://www.mapsofworld.com/uganda/maps/uganda-location-map.jpg
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- Country map http://mapsofworld.com/uganda/maps/uganda-political-map.jpg
- Mod.JW
-
- Results of laboratory tests are awaited. The situation
continues its rapid change; updating the AI distribution maps does not
keep pace. For a map, last updated 27 Feb 2006, see http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=106062675&size=l.
- Mod.AS
-
- Patricia A. Doyle, DVM, PhD- Bus Admin, Tropical Agricultural
Economics
- Please visit my "Emerging
Diseases" message board.
-
- Also my new website:
http://drpdoyle.tripod.com/
-
- Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa
Go with God and in Good Health
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