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Pakistan detects bird flu strains in farms

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  • Pakistan detects bird flu strains in farms

    http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Dis...6022804919.xml


    Pakistan detects bird flu strains in farms <!--Tuesday, February 28, 2006-->
    Web posted at: 2/28/2006 0:49:19


    ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities placed two small farms under quarantine as a precaution against a suspected outbreak of bird flu after detecting a mild avian flu strain in flocks, the Livestock Commissioner said yesterday.
    Dr Muhammad Afzal said two farms in North West Frontier Province had been quarantined as a result of inspections of flocks throughout the country following an outbreak in neighbouring India earlier this month.

    ?We have extensively surveyed the country and we have detected two farms with low-pathogenic avian influenza,? Afzal said.

    About 700 birds out of a total of 15,000 on both farms had died after developing breathing problems, and the owners have agreed to cull their flocks, the official said.

    The strain of virus had not been confirmed but initial tests pointed to a H5 subtype present at the two farms, he said. Tests for the N-subtype have still to be carried out.

    The H5N1 strain has killed at least 92 people since late 2003 and the virus has spread rapidly in the past month with cases in wild birds and poultry confirmed across parts of Europe, Africa as well as India and Malaysia.

    The virus killed thousands of poultry in India but no human infections have been reported.

    Afzal said there was no confirmation of any outbreak of the H5N1 virus but that samples were being sent to laboratories in Britain.

    ?We are sharing the outbreak news as a precautionary measure, otherwise the situation is not at all alarming because the strain is not harmful for humans,? Afzal said.

    He said one of the quarantined farms was in Abbotabad, 125km north of Islamabad, and the other was in Charsadda, 120km northwest.

    People working on the farms had been tested and were not infected with bird flu, another agriculture ministry official.

    ?Our initial findings suggested that the outbreak is not from any migratory birds and it is not harmful for humans,? he added.

    Low-pathogenic forms of bird flu cause mild symptoms such as ruffled feathers and a drop in egg production.

    But it is believed that potentially deadly H5 and H7 strains of bird flu viruses start off in low-pathogenic forms when they are first introduced to poultry flocks and mutate to a highly pathogenic form within a few months if they are allowed to circulate.

    Not all H5 varieties are highly pathogenic, but the H5N1 virus is particularly tenacious and poses the greatest risk to people. Scientists fear H5N1 might mutate into a form that passes easily between humans, triggering a pandemic.

    The ministry has also requested all the poultry farms that they should increase the level of biosecurity at their farms and immediately report any abnormal or high morality to local veterinarian or district livestock development officer for immediate diagnosis.

    Government of Pakistan continues to monitor the situation closely and provincial governments will be taking all necessary measures for effective implementation.

    Governments have already prepared an emergency preparedness plan that includes standard operating procedures for surveillance, diagnosis and control of avian influenza in the country.

    According to the statement the government is reporting these cases to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Animal Health Organisation (OIE).
    The statement said that cooked poultry and poultry products are safe to eat (as is also certified by Food and Agriculture Organisation and World Health Organisation) adding that there should not be any undue concern in this regard.
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