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H7N2 Bird Flu IS Contagious -
11 Of 26 Show Symptoms!

From Patricia Doyle, PhD
5-28-7

Hello Jeff - This virus appears to easily infect humans, although, avian flu H7N2 is not causing serious illness. The concern for me is that if the two avian flu viruses ever came in contact we could have an H5N1 virus picking up "human friendly" genes from H7N2 thus evolving into the recombined pandemic bird flu virus the Bush admin and others are expecting.
 
The UK will have to be extremely vigilant monitoring migratory birds and poultry farms for H5N1.
 
ProMed Mail
 
AVIAN INFLUENZA - UK (WALES): LPAI H7N2, EPIDEMIC CONTROL ISSUES
 
From John Morgan
 
The latest BBC bulletin (5-27-07) reports that 11 people out of 26 possible contacts with H7N2 infected chickens have shown flu-like symptoms, but none has become seriously ill.
 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6696035.stm
 
There have been no official updates to the Welsh Assembly Government, DEFRA or Health Protection Agency Websites in the last 24 hours.
 
Meanwhile, the restrictions at the 1st site are still in place, and a map of the restriction zone and the regulations are available at
 
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/ahw/disea
se_surveillance_control/avianflu/avianfludeclaration/?lang=en
 
ProMED-mail's archived posting 20070526.1692 states: "From a subscriber in the UK, we have received the following comment: 'The infected birds which died were bought at Chelford Market from a private dealer, and there is no traceable paperwork. I find it quite incredible that after everything that has happened with regard to avian notifiable diseases in the past few years, auctioneers allow private sales out of the back of a van to go on at their premises on a sale day without any formal identification or inspection.'"
 
My comment:
 
 
At this point, there has been no official statement as to whether the sale was out of the back of a van or through the official livestock auctions that occurred at Chelford Market on that day. A sobering report from the Farmers Guardian of 9 Jun 2006 starts with the line: "There is seemingly little in the world of agriculture that can't be bought or sold at Chelford Market in Cheshire." [See "Chelford market profile" by Nick Yates at
 
http://www.farmersguardian.com/story.asp?sectioncode=49&storycode=2360
 
As this article goes on to say: "It has made a success of diversity," no doubt this statement was in praise of the entrepreneurial spirit of the operation but seems to have acquired a quite different meaning in the light of recent events.
 
It is worth stating that it would not be in the interest of auctioneers to "allow private sales out the back of a van," as they would not be in receipt of any buyer or seller commission, and this would be anti-entrepreneurial.
 
I suspect that it is impossible for them to police all areas, parking areas and attendees and to prevent private deals being struck.
 
Chelford market is under the jurisdiction of Macclesfield Borough Council, which has released the following statement:
http://www.macclesfield.gov.uk/news_item.asp?id=1529
 
The auctioneers that run the market have not placed any notice on their website [http://www.frmauctions.co.uk/index.html>] which might encourage anyone attending the market either as a seller or purchaser to contact the authorities. There are 2 links under the poultry section. One link leads to a report of the total livestock sales for Mon 7 May 2007, which included 1400 head of poultry. The other is a notice that poultry sales will be reconvened after a suspension of sales following the Bernard Mathewes - Hungarian H5N1 outbreak, dated 16 Feb 2007. [It says: "We have been informed by DEFRA that sales can recommence with immediate effect. We will therefore be open on Mon 19 Feb 2007, although numbers forward are likely to be minimal due to lack of time to advertise re-opening. Full poultry sales service will recommence on Mon 26 Feb 2007." - Mod.AS
 
There is no statutory regulation for small keepers or breeders of poultry to be registered with DEFRA; there is a voluntary registration scheme. Prior to this outbreak, there was guidance available to poultry keepers on the Welsh Assembly Government website:
http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/ahw/disease_surveillance_control/avianflu/?lang=en
 
Readers of the website are reminded that there is a General license on poultry and other bird livestock movements in force under European law.
 
We should not prejudge any official enquiry or further statements. However, there seems to have been some unrecorded movement of livestock that has created a great deal of additional work for DEFRA and the police and at the same time caused delay in containing the outbreak. This is very reminiscent of the 2001 FMD outbreak. Since that time, movement restrictions and documenting animal movements have become an extremely time consuming and bureaucratic exercise as an UK farmer will confirm. Other than the price they are paid for their produce, this is one thing I hear constantly bemoaned by local farmer friends.
 
Over the last 30 years or so, many people have moved into the area to live an alternative lifestyle. Keeping a few chickens and selling them and their eggs has been a popular source of income in the area for longer than anyone or any records can tell; the proceeds are not always declared for taxation purposes (reference: My father, a retired chartered accountant who practiced for 50 years in the region).
 
It is unlikely that "grey marketers" with their few chickens will suffer any great financial consequences from the inability of the authorities to rapidly shut down the outbreak, an inability that is due to the grey marketers' lack of records and unwillingness to come forward with information. It could not have come at a worse time for the game farmers of the region who will be selling poults to the commercial shoots of this region and further afield. Over the next few weeks, both game farmers and the shoots will be wanting to move hundreds of thousands of pheasant and partridge poults to woods and game crops in preparation for the beginning of the shooting season in September. This industry is one of the economic lynch pins of the winter economy in Wales.
 
Communicated by: Dr John Morgan MB BS DipGUM Golden Grove Trem Dyffryn Red Bank Welshpool Powys SY21 7PT davidjohnmorgan@gmail.com>
 
We are grateful to Dr Morgan for shedding local light, based upon firsthand observations, on the Welsh feathered situation behind curtains and official news.
 
ProMED-mail's Rapporteur Mary Marshall adds the following complementary information: "Traded birds aren't only pet or hobby birds. They can be small-scale commercial to be traded on or kept for poultry, eggs or poultry products to be sold locally at farmers markets, or they can be part of a much wider trade. I am told that Chelmsford Market is huge and takes place every week and that it draws people from at least 50 miles away."
 
Readers might be reminded of a rather similar situation which unfolded during the HPAI H7N7 outbreak in the Netherlands in 2003, when "Hobby birds" and commercial as well as non-commercial small-holdings became a major factor, sometimes obstacle, in the authorities' efforts to control the epizootic. - Mod.AS
 
.....................................
arn/msp/mpp
 
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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