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14 February 2018: findings of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N6) in wild birds in the UK and Ireland and Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI) in poultry in France
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal & Plant Health Agency
Veterinary & Science Policy Advice Team - International Disease Monitoring
Situation Assessment #2
Findings of H5N6 HPAI in wild birds in UK/Ireland and
LPAI in poultry in France
14th February 2018 (Version 2) Ref: VITT/1200 Avian Influenza in Europe
Disease report
An emerging reassortant H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has been
circulating in wild birds in NW Europe in recent months (Defra, 2018). This is an update on
the current findings for HPAIV H5N6 in the UK and Europe, and also includes an
assessment of a number of outbreaks oflow pathogenicity avian influenza virus (LPAIV)
reported recently in poultry across France. It is important to note that to date there
have still been no detections of H5N6 HPAI in poultry, either the commercial or
non-commercial sectors in the UK. The UK is therefore still officially free of HPAI.
...
Situation assessment
Previously there have been six findings of HPAIV H5N6 in wild birds in England, but none
in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, despite widespread testing of wild birds. Since the
last report (January 2018), there have been a further five outbreaks in wild waterbirds in
England. The recent findings are:
1. The River Thames at Windsor, Berkshire ?five (out of seven) mute swans (Cygnus
olor)
2. Hampton Water in Surrey ? two unspecified avians
3. Thames river at Kingston, Greater London ? one mute swane
4. Rye Mead RSPB site, Hertfordshire ? one tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)
5. Napton Reservoir, Warwickshire ? one mute swan
6. Lake near Uffington, Oxfordshire - one mute swan
This takes the current total of events with HPAI H5N6 in wild birds in England to 12. As
with the previous wild bird events, these findings are at sites with high numbers of
waterfowl and other water birds. To date preliminary results indicate that a single strain of
H5N6 HPAI is associated with these infections.
The wild waterfowl migration to the UK will now have peaked for this winter in terms of
numbers of overwintering waterfowl although the birds will remain at their wintering sites till
next month at least, before returning to their breeding grounds in late March/April.
Wild bird surveillance continues and the map below shows the locations of samples taken
for testing from found dead wild birds. These are locations rather than individual birds and
therefore there may be more than one bird sampled at each location.
...
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Animal & Plant Health Agency
Veterinary & Science Policy Advice Team - International Disease Monitoring
Situation Assessment #2
Findings of H5N6 HPAI in wild birds in UK/Ireland and
LPAI in poultry in France
14th February 2018 (Version 2) Ref: VITT/1200 Avian Influenza in Europe
Disease report
An emerging reassortant H5N6 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has been
circulating in wild birds in NW Europe in recent months (Defra, 2018). This is an update on
the current findings for HPAIV H5N6 in the UK and Europe, and also includes an
assessment of a number of outbreaks oflow pathogenicity avian influenza virus (LPAIV)
reported recently in poultry across France. It is important to note that to date there
have still been no detections of H5N6 HPAI in poultry, either the commercial or
non-commercial sectors in the UK. The UK is therefore still officially free of HPAI.
...
Situation assessment
Previously there have been six findings of HPAIV H5N6 in wild birds in England, but none
in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, despite widespread testing of wild birds. Since the
last report (January 2018), there have been a further five outbreaks in wild waterbirds in
England. The recent findings are:
1. The River Thames at Windsor, Berkshire ?five (out of seven) mute swans (Cygnus
olor)
2. Hampton Water in Surrey ? two unspecified avians
3. Thames river at Kingston, Greater London ? one mute swane
4. Rye Mead RSPB site, Hertfordshire ? one tufted duck (Aythya fuligula)
5. Napton Reservoir, Warwickshire ? one mute swan
6. Lake near Uffington, Oxfordshire - one mute swan
This takes the current total of events with HPAI H5N6 in wild birds in England to 12. As
with the previous wild bird events, these findings are at sites with high numbers of
waterfowl and other water birds. To date preliminary results indicate that a single strain of
H5N6 HPAI is associated with these infections.
The wild waterfowl migration to the UK will now have peaked for this winter in terms of
numbers of overwintering waterfowl although the birds will remain at their wintering sites till
next month at least, before returning to their breeding grounds in late March/April.
Wild bird surveillance continues and the map below shows the locations of samples taken
for testing from found dead wild birds. These are locations rather than individual birds and
therefore there may be more than one bird sampled at each location.
...