Ireland - Department of Agriculture confirms avian influenza H5N6 in a wild bird in County Tipperary

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Department Confirms Avian Influenza H5N6 in a Wild Bird in County Tipperary

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine today announced that it has confirmed avian influenza subtype H5N6 in a wild bird in County Tipperary. The white-tailed sea eagle was found dead on 31 January.

The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HSE-HPSC) and the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) advise that the risk to public health from H5N6 avian influenza is very low and that the disease poses no food safety risk for consumers.

The finding is not unexpected given the detection of highly pathogenic H5N6 in wild birds in multiple locations in Great Britain since the start of January and in other European countries prior to that. Further tests are being carried out to determine whether the virus is the same strain of H5N6. The results of these tests will become available in the next few days.

The finding indicates an increased risk of introduction of avian influenza into poultry and captive bird flocks, and that strict bio-security measures are necessary to prevent this. This applies to all flocks, irrespective of size. In particular flock owners should feed and water birds inside or under cover where wild birds cannot access the feed or water. Keep poultry separate from wild birds by putting suitable fencing around the outdoor areas they access.

Flock owners should remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their flocks, and report any disease suspicion to their nearest Department Veterinary Office.

An early warning system is in place with Birdwatch Ireland, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the National Association of Regional Game Councils with regard to surveillance for signs of disease in wild birds.

The Department continues to closely monitor and assess the disease situation and maintains close contact with our counterparts in DAERA on the matter.

Further information:

1. Further information on avian influenza can be found here: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/avian_influenza/
2. Clinical signs that poultry keepers should look for in their birds include a swollen head, discolouration of neck and throat, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, diarrhoea and fewer eggs laid ? although these vary between species of bird.
3. If you suspect disease in your own flock, notify the nearest Department Veterinary Office or ring the Avian Influenza Helpline: 076 106 4403 (Outside of Office hours: 1850 200 456).
4. If you find dead wild birds such as wild ducks, wild geese, swans, gulls or birds of prey, do not handle the birds. Report the findings to the Department as above.
5. A list of Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine offices and their contact details is available at: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/contact/

Date Released: 06 February 2018

https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2018/february/title,114478,en.html

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Department Confirms HPAI Subtype In The Wild Bird Found In County Tipperary

The Department today announced that it has confirmed that the avian influenza subtype H5N6 detected in the wild bird found in County Tipperary on 31 January, is the highly pathogenic strain that has previously been confirmed in Great Britain and mainland Europe. This is the only case detected in Ireland so far.

As previously advised, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre has confirmed that the risk to humans is considered to be very low. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland confirms that poultry meat is safe to eat, provided that it is handled hygienically while raw, and cooked thoroughly prior to consumption.

The Department continues to closely monitor the disease situation and are in consultation with the poultry industry on possible future risk mitigating measures. The Department maintains close contact with our counterparts in Northern Ireland on the matter.

It is vital for flock owners to apply strict bio-security measures to prevent the introduction of avian influenza. In particular flock owners should feed and water birds inside or under cover where wild birds cannot access the feed or water. Keep poultry separate from wild birds by putting suitable fencing around the outdoor areas they access.

Flock owners should remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their flocks, and report any disease suspicion to their nearest Department Veterinary Office.

Anyone who keeps poultry, even small numbers of poultry for their own use, or who deals or trades in poultry, must register their premises with the Department, under the Control on Places where Poultry are kept Regulations 2014 (S.I. 114 of 2014). Anyone who owns other birds such as racing pigeons, aviary birds or other captive birds is also encouraged to register with the Department. On-line registration is now possible. Full details can be found here.

The public is advised not to handle sick or dead birds, but to notify the nearest Department Veterinary Office or ring the Avian Influenza Hotline: 076 106 4403 (Outside of Office hours: 1850 200 456). Department staff will continue to collect sufficient birds for testing to help understand how the disease is distributed geographically, in different species and over time. Further information:

1. Further information on avian influenza can be found here: https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/avian_influenza/
2. Clinical signs that poultry keepers should look for in their birds include a swollen head, discolouration of neck and throat, loss of appetite, respiratory distress, diarrhoea and fewer eggs laid – although these vary between species of bird.
3. If you suspect disease in your own flock, notify the nearest Department Veterinary Office or ring the Avian Influenza Hotline: 076 106 4403 (Outside of Office hours: 1850 200 456).
4. A list of Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine offices and their contact details is available at: http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/contact/

https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press...114566,en.html

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Highly pathogenic influenza A viruses (infection with) (non-poultry including wild birds), Ireland

Information received on 09/02/2018 from Dr Martin Blake, Chief Veterinary Officer, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Agriculture House, Dublin, Ireland

Summary Report type Immediate notification Date of start of the event 31/01/2018 Date of confirmation of the event 08/02/2018 Report date 09/02/2018 Date submitted to OIE 09/02/2018 Reason for notification New strain of a listed disease in the country Causal agent Highly pathogenic influenza A virus Serotype H5N6 Nature of diagnosis Laboratory (advanced) This event pertains to a defined zone within the country

New outbreaks (1)

Outbreak 1 Lehinch, Co. Tipperary, TIPPERARY Date of start of the outbreak 31/01/2018 Outbreak status Resolved (31/01/2018) Epidemiological unit Not applicable Affected animals Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered White-tailed Eagle:Haliaeetus albicilla(Accipitridae) 1 1 0 0 Affected population On 31st January 2018 a white tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) was found dead near Lough Derg, Co. Tipperary in an area known to be frequented by migratory waterbirds.

Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1 Total animals affected Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Killed and disposed of Slaughtered White-tailed Eagle:Haliaeetus albicilla(Accipitridae) 1 1 0 0 Outbreak statistics Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost* White-tailed Eagle:Haliaeetus albicilla(Accipitridae) ** ** 100.00% ** *Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter **Not calculated because of missing information

Epidemiology Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection Unknown or inconclusive Epidemiological comments On 5th February 2018 the Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory confirmed the presence of avian influenza subtype H5N6 in samples taken from the white tailed eagle. On 8th February 2018 sequencing results confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N6.

Control measures Measures applied Vaccination prohibited No treatment of affected animals Measures to be applied No other measures

Diagnostic test results Laboratory name and type Species Test Test date Result Irish Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (National laboratory) White-tailed Eagle real-time PCR 05/02/2018 Positive Bioscience Waterford (Private Laboratory) White-tailed Eagle virus sequencing 08/02/2018 Positive

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

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http://www.oie.int/wahis_2/public/wahid.php/Reviewreport/Review?page_refer=MapFullEventReport&reportid=25927