Australian horses with flu

[tropical]

Re: Australian horses with flu

From http://www.birdflubreakingnews.com/
03:21 PM, 10/01/07
EI in other species - Australian Equine Influenza Outbreak

"Horse Deals", Aus.:

http://horsedealsflu.blogspot.com/2007/10/ei-in-other-species.html

Australian Equine Influenza Outbreak

We are experiencing issues. The entire country is currently in the grips of Equine Influenza. If you or someone you know is affected share your stories, images and thoughts or ask a question by emailing them to blogEI@horsedeals.com.au (Leave your name with your post) <? StdHeader(); ?><!-- Blog Posts -->
Monday, 1 October 2007

EI in other species


I found this information when resercing EI. ss Central Qld

A Cornell University virologist has isolated a highly contagious equine flu virus that is spreading a sometimes-fatal respiratory flu among dogs, and is responsible for a major dog-flu outbreak in New York state. There is no evidence that the virus could infect people.

According to a paper published in the Sept. 26 issue of Science Express, the online version of Science magazine, this is the first time an equine flu virus has been found to jump species.
The equine influenza virus, H3N8, was isolated at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine after University of Florida researchers sent fluid and tissue samples from greyhound race dogs that had died from a respiratory illness at a Florida racetrack in January 2004.

"Of all animals, dogs have the most intimate contact with humans on a daily basis, so the potential for human infection has to be in the back of our minds," said Ed Dubovi, director of the virology center at Cornell's Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, who isolated the virus from the University of Florida samples.

Still, he added, there is no evidence of the virus jumping to humans, and there is no expectation of it doing so. It is possible the equine virus has been infecting dogs for some time, although the symptoms are very similar and could be mistaken for common "kennel cough," a bacterial disease related to pertussis (whooping cough) in children. Nevertheless, the paper cautions that the newly discovered flu virus must be closely monitored.

With close to 100 percent of dogs exposed to the virus becoming infected and about 80 percent of infected dogs showing symptoms, the flu could be spreading throughout the country. It was originally documented in greyhounds at tracks and kennels but now is infecting all breeds of dogs. Ongoing testing is being done to track the spread of the virus to different regions of the country.

"Right now, we have a major outbreak of this disease in all breeds of dogs in New York state," said Dubovi, noting that symptoms can include high fever and a respiratory infection that lasts a few weeks, although 1 to 5 percent die from related hemorrhagic pneumonia. From January to May 2005, outbreaks occurred at 20 racetracks in 10 states (Florida, Texas, Arkansas, Arizona, West Virginia, Kansas, Iowa, Colorado, Rhode Island and Massachusetts), according to the paper.

"This infection will become a major concern for all dog owners, since 100 percent of dogs are susceptible to infection by this virus ," said Dubovi. "With 50 million pet dogs in this country, even if you have 1 percent mortality, this is going to result in a number of dogs dying from it."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta sequenced the virus' entire genome and found all the segments were from the equine virus. This is unusual, because flu viruses will often swap genetic material with other flu viruses when they jump species. For a new virus to enter another species it must overcome a number of barriers, such as finding a cell receptor to bind to in order to enter the cell and to reproduce sufficiently in the new host.
"There are probably many examples of viruses jumping species, but then it becomes a dead-end issue," said Dubovi. Researchers have long known that equine flu was capable of growing in dogs, since scientists experimenting with equine influenza use cell lines from canine kidney cells.

When Dubovi first received the University of Florida samples, he and his colleagues isolated a virus and determined that it was an influenza not typically found in dogs. The next step was to test to see if it was an avian flu virus, like the virulent H5N1 that has jumped from birds to humans over the last few years. A highly sensitive test -- called a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) that amplifies and detects small amounts of DNA or RNA in a blood or tissue sample -- ruled out avian flu strains H5 and H7.

The isolate was then sent to the CDC where Ruben Donis, Cornell Ph.D. '87, one of Dubovi's former graduate students and currently chief of molecular genetics for the influenza branch, found that it tested positive for equine influenza virus. Donis also ruled out the possibility that the sample had been contaminated with equine virus from another source.
http://www.cornell.edu/

posted by Horse Deals Reader # 15:11

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Australian horses with flu

Human error behind contamination

http://www.smh.com.au/news/horseracing/human-error-behind-contamination/2007/10/06/1191091402712.html?s_cid=rss_news

Human error is behind the latest outbreak of equine influenza at Sydney's Rosehill racecourse, federal Agricultural Minister Peter McGauran says.

Mr McGauran today confirmed a biosecurity breach at Rosehill was to blame for the highly contagious virus spreading to one stable at the training centre.

"The tragedy for Randwick, Warwick Farm and Rosehill training centres is that it's been introduced by a human being who has breached biosecurity,'' Mr McGauran said.

He said the latest horse flu outbreak at Rosehill was a serious setback for racing in Sydney, but he remained positive Melbourne's Spring Racing Carnival would go ahead.

Mr McGauran said the virus was contained within one stable and there was hope it would not spread.

"The early signs are that the vaccinations which were given to horses seven days ago might be providing some degree of immunity,'' he said. "But you don't get full immunity until three weeks after the first inoculation.''

If the vaccinations already administered to horses a week ago at Rosehill take full effect racing could resume later this month or early next month, Mr McGauran said.

"Influenza has crippled the livelihoods of an entire industry in NSW and Queensland, and not just racing but also harness and breeding. It's doing untold damage.

"It's going to get worse before it gets better within the zones already affected.

"This is the biggest battle the racing industry in Australia has ever faced.

"It has cost the jobs of hundreds of people in NSW and Queensland and devastated the incomes of thousands more,'' Mr McGauran said.

The government has ordered another 100,000 vaccinations. A shipment of 130,000 arrived yesterday from the French manufacturer and is being distributed throughout NSW, QLD and Victoria.

The government would consider ordering more vaccines, Mr McGauran said..

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Australian horses with flu

Dogs cleared of equine flu

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/dogs-cleared-of-equine-flu/2007/10/11/1191696038035.html?s_cid=rss_news

October 11, 2007 - 10:47AM

Reports that two dogs at Warwick Farm racecourse in Sydney have tested positive to horse flu are incorrect, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) says.

The DPI's media manager Brett Fifield said two dogs who were found to be coughing last Friday were tested for equine influenza (EI) but their results came back negative.

The racehorse population at Warwick Farm succumbed to the highly contagious virus on September 22.

"I think there are about 15 or 20 dogs that are resident down there, most of them in and out at the stables et cetera and a couple of them, around the fifth of this month, had a bit of a cough and we took some tests," Fifield told Sydney radio station 2KY today.

"We sent them off and they've come back negative to equine influenza.

"It's just a case of we were being precautionary, it's more likely to be kennel cough."

The EI virus can infect all members of the horse family, including donkeys, mules and zebras, but has rarely been known to infect other species.

However, the AUSVETPLAN, which Australian authorities have used as a guideline for managing the EI crisis, states there was an incidence of a subtype of the virus being found in racing greyhounds in the USA in 2004.

Fifield confirmed there had been an instance overseas in which a species other than horse was infected by EI but said that was not the case in Australia.

"There have been overseas cases where that has occurred but it definitely hasn't happened in Australia so far," he said.

"There were two crook dogs there (at Warwick Farm). She (the veterinarian) took some samples and they've come back negative so it was really just a precautionary measure and I suppose someone heard samples were taken from a dog and the story's just got a bit bigger and better from there."

Fifield also denied speculation that EI had spread to the ACT.

[Treyfish]

Fresh Horse Flu Outbreak at Four NSW Properties

Fresh Horse Flu Outbreak at Four NSW Properties

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has started a horse flu vaccination program north of Wollongong after an outbreak of the virus at Darkes Forest and Helensburgh.

Four properties at Darkes Forest and three at Helensburg, south of Sydney, have been infected and placed under quarantine.
The zoning of the area has been changed from amber to red.
The department's deputy chief veterinary officer, Ian Roth, says the area has been zoned for vaccination but no horses have been immunised yet.
Mr Roth says the new zoning will allow the department to move in and start vaccinations quickly to stop the virus spreading further.
"It'll be north of Wollongong and than we'll move," he said.
"We'll vaccinate north and that way, the immunity starts about seven to 10 days after vaccination and so you start south just in case there is a little bit more southerly spread."
ABC News