H5N1 returns to Germany

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Germany: Poultry slaughtered after bird flu find

The Associated Press
Friday, October 10, 2008
DRESDEN, Germany: A health official says 1,400 birds have been slaughtered at a poultry farm in eastern Germany after a duck tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus.
Saxony state health ministry spokesman Ralph Schreiber said Friday that the farm's entire stock of ducks, geese, turkeys and chickens was slaughtered overnight.
The farm near Goerlitz on the Polish border has been sealed off to prevent the spread of the virus. Birds at other poultry farms in the region are being checked.
Germany has seen several cases of bird flu in the past — most recently last December.
The disease has ravaged poultry stocks in Asia. Though bird flu is difficult for people to catch, the H5N1 strain has killed at least 206 people worldwide.

http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=16843431

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Germany Kills 1,400 Farm Fowl After First Bird Flu Case in 2008

By Naomi Kresge
Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) -- German authorities killed 1,400 ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys after identifying the country's first case of avian influenza this year on a commercial farm in the town of Markersdorf, near the Polish border.
A duck tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu, Elke Reinking, a spokeswoman for Germany's Friedrich Loeffler Institute, said in a telephone interview. Tests are being conducted to determine whether the bird was infected with the most deadly form of the disease, she said.
Authorities began killing poultry at 4 a.m. and have set up a three-kilometer (1.9 mile) quarantine, said Ralph Schreiber, a Health Ministry spokesman in the German state of Saxony. The sick duck was found in an area with several poultry farms, including one with 70,000 animals, Schreiber said.
``The flu can appear again at any time, but it was a bit of a surprise to see it in a commercially raised animal,'' Reinking said. The Friedrich Loeffler Institute is a center for animal health.
Avian flu was last found in Germany in December 2007 in chickens at a small hobby farm, she said. There have been no reports of the disease in neighboring countries since March, when a wild duck tested positive in Switzerland.
To contact the reporter on this story: Naomi Kresge in Berlin nkresge@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: October 10, 2008 06:56 EDT

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601202&sid=anbjeVSZ43tU&refer=healthcare

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Germany Kills 1,400 Farm Fowl After First Bird Flu Case in 2008

By Naomi Kresge
Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) --
The sick duck was found in an area with several poultry farms, including one with 70,000 animals, Schreiber said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Naomi Kresge in Berlin nkresge@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: October 10, 2008 06:56 EDT

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...fer=healthcare

Media reports remain unclear on the health of the H5N1 positive duck. Some say the duck was sick or dead, while others say it was asymptomatic.

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Germany confirms first bird flu case this year
10 Oct 2008 14:25:30 GMT
<!-- 10 Oct 2008 14:25:30 GMT ## for search indexer, do not remove -->Source: Reuters

<!-- AN5.0 article title end --><SCRIPT language=JavaScript src="/bin/js/article.js"></SCRIPT></SPAN><INPUT id=CurrentSize type=hidden value=13 name=CurrentSize> <!-- Germany confirms first bird flu case this year --><!-- Reuters -->HAMBURG, Oct 10 (Reuters) - German authorities said on Friday that the lethal strain of bird flu has been confirmed on a farm in the east of the country.
Germany's eastern state government of Saxony said the H5N1 bird flu strain had been confirmed in a duck at a poultry farm near Dresden.
"Tests have confirmed that this involves the highly contagious version of the H5N1 virus epidemic," said Ralph Schreiber, spokesman for Saxony's social welfare ministry.
The flu strain was detected during a routine examination at the farm, which held some 1,400 birds. All birds at the farm have been slaughtered as a precaution, the state said.
A 3-km (2-mile) radius quarantine zone has been established around the farm and a 10-km radius observation zone also was established in which all poultry must be locked up in buildings.
Bird flu was last detected in farm birds in Germany in December 2007.
The virus has infected 387 people worldwide in 15 countries, killing 245 of them, according to the World Health Organization's Aug. 10 tally. Indonesia has the highest toll of any nation.
Although bird flu remains an animal disease, experts fear that the virus might mutate into a form easily passed from human to human.
(Reporting by Michael Hogan; Editing by Michael Roddy)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LA581291.htm

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

After first investigations to one at bird flu duck in the district G?rlitz got sick is clear: This concerns a high-sticking on virus variant, with which also humans can get sick. Meanwhile around the yard concerned a restricted area was furnished. In Germany in this year the highly sticking on form of the bird flu broke out for the first time again. " It concerns with the bird flu virus the dangerous variant of the Vogelgrippevirus" , Elke Reinking said of the Friedrich Loeffler institute on the Baltic island Riems in the discussion with stern.de. The farm concerned in the Saxonian district G?rlitz was killed closed off, 1400 animals as a precaution, among them 700 geese. With birds of other poultry owners within a restricted area of three kilometers of radius further samples were taken. A ten kilometer large range around the enterprise is considered as observation zone. Here other poultry existence may be only held in stables. Announcement Observation zone and restricted area are only then again waived if 15 and/or 21 days long no further case of bird flu arises. " We examine now whether the risk evaluation for Germany wird" raised; , Elke Reinking said. " That depends also on how the virus sei." brought in; The investigations will take still some days. The final result expects Reinking next week. The bird flu risk for Germany was in April on " m??ig" downgraded. As source of infection come among other things illegaly introduced infected animals or wastes and wild birds into consideration. Danger for humans? The bird flu had arisen last in past December with a private chicken owner in the country Brandenburg. In addition the virus was determined last year with seven wild birds. More to the topic Bird flu: Danger by mutated viruses infection: Bird flu in Brandenburg breaking out bird flu is released by the virus H5N1. This germ belongs to the group of the flu viruses, more exactly: to the influenza A viruses. Scientists fear that the aggressive H5N1-Virus to mutate and then also from humans to humans will transfer can. This could lead to a massive outbreak of the illness. According to data of the World Health Organization (WHO) already about 390 humans infected themselves, for 245 ended that mortally. They had been infected at animals. In Germany still no case was announced. " Humans are not gef?hrdet" , Reinking said. Only with very close contact, the possibility of a transmission exists. In the far east, where humans and animal live frequently closely with one another, nevertheless already numerous humans at a H5N1-Infektion died. nis/AFP/AP/Reuters

http://www.stern.de/politik/panorama/:Vogelgrippe-Hochansteckende-Virus-Form-Sachsen/641942.html

[Giuseppe]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Germany [OIE - WAHID Interface]

[English PDF reports (LINK )]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Germany

Information received on 10/10/2008 from Mr Werner Zwingmann, Ministerialdirigent, "Leiter der Unterabteilung Tiergesundheit und Lebensmittelhygiene", Bundesministerium f?r Ern?hrung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz (BMELV) , Bonn, Germany

? Summary

Report type Immediate notification
Start date 09/10/2008
Date of first confirmation of the event 10/10/2008
Report date 10/10/2008
Date submitted to OIE 10/10/2008
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 28/01/2008
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to a defined zone within the country

? New outbreaks
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1

* Outbreak Location and Affected population: SACHSEN (Markersdorf, Niederschlesischer Oberlausitzkreis - Landkreis G?rlitz) :
In the establishment affected there are 800 geese, 550 ducks, 60 chicken and 24 turkeys.

Total animals affected: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
* Birds - 1434 - 1 - 0 - 1434 - 0

Outbreak statistics: Species - Apparent morbidity rate - Apparent mortality rate - Apparent case fatality rate - Proportion susceptible animals lost*
* Birds - 0.07% - 0.00% - 0.00% - 100.00%

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

? Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection Unknown or inconclusive

? Epidemiological comments
There were no movements of animals into or out of the holding concerned within the last 21 days.
The detection of HPAI H5N1 was performed in relation to routine laboratory investigation.

? Control measures
Measures applied Control of wildlife reservoirs
Stamping out
Movement control inside the country
Screening
Zoning
Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
Dipping / Spraying
Vaccination prohibited
No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied No other measures

? Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type Friedrich-Loeffler Institute (National laboratory)
Tests and results: Species - Test - Test date - Result
* Birds - polymerase chain reaction (PCR) - 10/10/2008 - Positive

? Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.
-
------

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Markersdorf/G?rlitz/dpa. After the newest case of bird flu in Saxonia on Friday in a poultry yard in marker village with G?rlitz all 1400 ducks, geese, chickens and Puten were killed. The hochpathogene virus H5N1 was proven with a regular investigation in the existence, said the district administrator of the circle G?rlitz, Bernd long one (CDU) before journalists. ?For us it is now important to locate also the cause.? With the routine test in marker village on 2 October in each case 30 geese and ducks had been examined. A suspected case is thereupon more near examined. For the population exist no acute danger in any form, insured the G?rlitzer medical officer Christian OF Ziesch. Veterinarians with protective clothing and the ?emergency suit-case bird flu?. (Photo: DPA) Picture as E-Card dispatch the infected duck no remarkablenesses showed. The 800 geese, 550 ducks, 24 Puten and 60 putting hens were killed within two hours with carbon dioxide, said office veterinary surgeon Ralph of beautiful fields. With several animals referring to the bird flu virus were present. ?It was not only a duck?, said district administrator long one. In the periphery from three kilometers a restricted area was furnished. All 55 poultry owners with altogether 71,000 animals in this area were visited as a precaution. Besides give it an observation circle in the radius of ten kilometers. In the periphery of 50 kilometers the obligation is valid to hold poultry in the stable for first 21 days. Also Polish authorities would have to be informed. ?All necessary precaution measures are met?, said health minister Christine Clau? (CDU) according to a center division. They served the protection of the domestic existence. The police blocked the four-side yard concerned in marker village spaciously. 39 persons, the contact to the animals had, were examined, said medical officer Christian OF Ziesch. In addition the family and coworker of the poultry owner as well as 25 firefighters counted. With all a reduction at the throat was taken. On the results of analysis in the next days one count. The case of marker village is first in Germany in this year. The bird flu had been discovered last in December 2007 with poultry in Brandenburg. In a Saxonian utilizable animal existence the virus had emerged in April 2006, 22,000 animals in Wermsdorf to the west of Leipzig had been killed at that time last. The G?rlitzer district administration office furnished meanwhile a citizen telephone. Under the number 03585/441764 as well as 03585/441768 on Friday from 15.00 to 20,00 o'clock and on Saturday from 09.00 to 15,00 o'clock questions are answered to the bird flu. The virus H5N1 strikes above all chicken birds and Puten, in addition, Wassergefl?gel such as ducks and geese. Also humans can be infected with hygiene lacking at infected animals. A transmission from humans to humans was observed however only with extremely close contact, particularly in Asia.

http://www.mz-web.de/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=ksta/page&atype=ksArtikel&aid=1223617951210&openMenu=1013083806405&calledPageId=1013083806405&listid=0

[Giuseppe]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Germany Kills 1,400 Fowl After First 2008 Bird Flu (Update1) [Bloomberg.com: Germany]

Germany Kills 1,400 Fowl After First 2008 Bird Flu (Update1)

By Naomi Kresge
Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) --

German authorities killed 1,400 domestic fowl after identifying the country's first case of avian influenza this year on a commercial farm in the town of Markersdorf, near the Polish border.


A duck tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu, Elke Reinking, a spokeswoman for Germany's Friedrich Loeffler Institute, said in a telephone interview today.

Tests confirmed that the animal was infected with the highly pathogenic form of the disease that spreads rapidly among birds, she said.

Authorities began killing poultry at 4 a.m. and have set up a three-kilometer (1.9 mile) quarantine, said Ralph Schreiber, a Health Ministry spokesman in the German state of Saxony.

The sick duck was found in an area with several poultry farms, including one with 70,000 animals, Schreiber said.

``The flu can appear again at any time, but it was a bit of a surprise to see it in a commercially raised animal,'' Reinking said.

The Friedrich Loeffler Institute is a center for animal health.

Avian flu was last found in Germany in December 2007 in chickens at a small hobby farm, she said.

There have been no reports of the disease in neighboring countries since March, when a wild duck tested positive in Switzerland.

How the duck caught the virus remains a mystery, Reinking said.

Authorities are testing all fowl in the quarantine area to see whether the disease has spread.

Pandemic
Health authorities have been monitoring the H5N1 strain of avian influenza for more than a decade for any sign that it is becoming as contagious as seasonal flu. While millions of birds have been infected, fewer than 400 people are reported to have contracted the illness, including 36 this year.

The world is closer to another influenza pandemic than at any time since 1968, when the last of the previous century's three pandemics occurred, according to the Geneva-based World Health Organization.

The H5N1 virus has spread to more than 60 countries and caused at least 6,500 poultry outbreaks since 2003. The H5N1 flu strain is known to have infected 387 people in 15 nations in the past five years, 245 of whom have died, according to the WHO.

To contact the reporter on this story: Naomi Kresge in Berlin nkresge@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: October 10, 2008 09:56 EDT
--

<cite cite="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=anbjeVSZ43tU&refer=germany">Bloomberg.com: Germany</cite>

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

I believe FLI will soon announce more information on sequence analysis.

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

<TABLE style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>Germany confirms outbreak of H5N1 bird flu -EU

</TD></TR>

<TR><TD>
BRUSSELS, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Germany has informed European Union animalhealth experts of an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, the EU's first case of thelethal strain of the contagious disease in poultry this year, the EuropeanCommission said on Friday. The outbreak occurred in the German state of Saxony, close to the borderwith Poland, the Commission said in a statement. "Strict movement controls are in place. Poultry must be kept indoors,gatherings of poultry and other birds are banned, and on-farm biosecuritymeasures are strengthened," it said. (Reporting by Jeremy Smith) Keywords: BIRDFLU EU/GERMANY tf.TFN-Europe_newsdesk@thomsonreuters.com</PRE>
</PRE>
http://orange.advfn.com/news_Germany..._28652382.html</PRE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P>

[Giuseppe]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

OIE Confirmation Report: http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/sho...5&postcount=21

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/10100801/H5N1_Saxony_Fujian.html

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

Deadly bird flu virus found at German farm
Posted: 11 October 2008 0102 hrs
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=260 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=right width=20> </TD><TD align=right width=240></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top height=60> </TD><TD class=update vAlign=top height=60><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=138 bgColor=#f6f6f6>Photos </TD><TD width=47 bgColor=#f6f6f6>1 of 1</TD><TD width=18 bgColor=#f6f6f6><INPUT id=btnPrev disabled onclick=Prev(); type=image height=15 width=18 src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_previous.gif" value="<< Previous"></TD><TD width=19 bgColor=#f6f6f6><INPUT id=bntPlay onclick=Play() type=image height=15 width=19 src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_stop.gif" value="Play - Stop"></TD><TD width=18 bgColor=#f6f6f6><INPUT id=btnNext disabled onclick=Next(); type=image height=15 width=18 src="http://www.channelnewsasia.com/images/butt_next.gif" value=" Next >> "></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
German authority inspects a poultry farm that was infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus.</TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD><TD class=update> </TD></TR><TR><TD> </TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


BRUSSELS : German authorities were culling poultry at a farm in Germany after the discovery of a case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus, the European Commission announced on Friday.

It is the first case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza at a farm in the European Union this year, although in February there was a confirmed outbreak among wild birds in Britain.

The H5N1 strain which first emerged in Asia in 2003, has caused some 245 deaths in humans since then, with Indonesia and Vietnam among the worst hit countries, according to World Health Organisation figures.

Scientists fear that H5N1 will eventually mutate into a form that is much more easily transmissible between humans, triggering a global pandemic.

The German authorities informed Brussels on Thursday of the outbreak in Saxony, near the Polish border, and have set up the required "risk areas" around the outbreak, the commission said in a statement.

The German authorities have also culled all poultry on the farm including some 1,350 geese and ducks and 65 chickens and turkeys.

The commission said the Germans had applied all the necessary measures to deal with the outbreak, including setting up a three kilometre radius protection zone -- with very strict rule on entering and exiting of animals and people -- and a wider 10 kilometre surveillance zone.

- AFP /ls

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world/view/381942/1/.html

[Giuseppe]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

09.10.2008

SMS - Gesundheit, Landwirtschaft/Forst
Verdacht von Influenza A-Virus in einem Nutzgefl?gelbestand

Am sp?ten Abend des 08.10.2008 wurde das S?chsische Staatsministerium f?r Soziales dar?ber informiert, dass bei einer Ente in einem Nutzgefl?gelbestand im Direktionsbezirk Dresden, Landkreis G?rlitz Influenza A Subtyp H5 N1 nachgewiesen wurde. Weitere Untersuchungen zur Feststellung, ob es sich um den gef?hrlichen (hochpathogenen) Typ handelt wurden eingeleitet.

Durch das Lebensmittel?berwachungs- und Veterin?ramt des Landkreises G?rlitz wurde daraufhin Gefl?gelpestverdacht festgestellt. Der Bestand wurde bereits durch den Amtstierarzt gesperrt. Die eventuelle Bestandst?tung und weitere Ma?nahmen werden vorsorglich vorbereitet.

Die durch hoch pathogene avi?re Influenzaviren der Subtypen H5 und H7 hervorgerufene Gefl?gelpest ist eine in der Tiermedizin seit Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts bekannte Infektionskrankheit, die bevorzugt H?hnerv?gel und Puten, aber auch Wassergefl?gel wie Enten und G?nse bef?llt. Diese ?Vogelgrippe?, wie sie in der ?ffentlichkeit bezeichnet wird, ist eine Tierseuche, welche bei Einschleppung in Nutzgefl?gelbest?nde hohe Verluste verursachen kann und deshalb fr?hzeitig Ma?nahmen erfordert.

https://www.sms.sachsen.de

http://www.medienservice.sachsen.de/news/32006

-
[Google Machine Translation - ioh]

09.10.2008

SMS - health, agriculture / forestry

Suspicion of influenza A virus in a Nutzgefl?gelbestand

Late on the evening of 08.10.2008 was the Saxon State Ministry of Social Affairs informed that a duck in a Nutzgefl?gelbestand Directorate in the Dresden district, county Goerlitz influenza A subtype H5 N1 has been demonstrated. Further investigation to determine whether it is dangerous (highly) type were launched.

By the Food and Veterinary Office of the District of Goerlitz was then suspected avian influenza detected. The stock was already covered by the official veterinarian locked. The eventual killing stock and other precautionary measures will be prepared.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtypes H5 and H7 avian influenza is caused in animal medicine since the end of the 19th Century-known infectious disease, the birds prefer chickens and turkeys, but also water birds such as ducks and geese attacks. This "bird flu", as they are in the public called, is an animal disease, which if introduced into Nutzgefl?gelbest?nde can cause heavy losses and therefore requires early action.

https://www.sms.sachsen.de

-
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http://www.medienservice.sachsen.de/news/32006

[Giuseppe]

Re: H5N1 returns to Germany

AVIAN INFLUENZA ? ANIMAL HEALTH ? GERMANY

[from European Centre of Diseases Prevention and Control (ECDC)]

10th October 2008


The German authorities have confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic A(H5N1) in a mixed poultry holding containing approximately 1500 poultry. All birds on the farm have been culled, and the containment measures taken in accordance with EU veterinary legislation.
Investigations into the source of the outbreak are ongoing.

ECDC Comment (2008-10-10):

This is the first case of A(H5N1) to be reported within the EU in 2008. Investigations into the source of the outbreaks are ongoing, and it is premature to speculate on what that might be.



However, there have been no cases reported from ongoing surveillance activities in wild birds in the EU, and hence there is little to suggest that the virus is widely disseminated within the EU at the current time.



Currently the H5N1 virus remains primarily an infection of birds and current evidence suggests that all H5N1 viruses identified to date remains poorly adapted to humans.



Hence the risks to public health remain very low.



However, it remains important for people who may be considered to be at risk, such as those who keep poultry, to take sensible precautions to minimise the already very low risk of infection.



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http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/health_content/episu/081009_av_ah.aspx

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