Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

[Giuseppe]

HPAIV in Duck Carcasses, Germany | CDC EID

Volume 15, Number 2?February 2009

Research

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Frozen Duck Carcasses, Germany, 2007

Timm C. Harder, J?rgen Teuffert, Elke Starick, J?rn Gethmann, Christian Grund, Sasan Fereidouni, Markus Durban, Karl-Heinz Bogner, Antonie Neubauer-Juric, Reinhard Repper, Andreas Hlinak, Andreas Engelhardt, Axel N?ckler, Krzysztof Smietanka, Zenon Minta, Matthias Kramer, Anja Globig, Thomas C. Mettenleiter, Franz J. Conraths, and Martin Beer
Author affiliations: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Isle of Riems, Germany (T.C. Harder, E. Starick, C. Grund, S. Fereidouni, M. Durban, A. Globig, T.C. Mettenleiter, M. Beer); Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Wusterhausen, Germany (J. Teuffert, J. Gethmann, M. Kramer, F.J. Conraths); Bavarian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Erlangen, Germany (K.H. Bogner; R. Repper); Bavarian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Oberschleissheim, Germany (A. Neubauer-Juric); Brandenburg State Central Laboratory, Frankfurt/Oder, Germany (A. Hlinak, A. Engelhardt); Agency for Consumer Protection and Food Safety of Lower Saxony, Oldenburg, Germany (A. N?ckler); and National Veterinary Research Institute, Pulawy, Poland (K. Smietanka, Z. Minta)


Abstract

We conducted phylogenetic and epidemiologic analyses to determine sources of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV), subtype H5N1, in poultry holdings in 2007 in Germany, and a suspected incursion of HPAIV into the food chain through contaminated deep-frozen duck carcasses.

In summer 2007, HPAIV (H5N1) outbreaks in 3 poultry holdings in Germany were temporally, spatially, and phylogenetically linked to outbreaks in wild aquatic birds.

Detection of HPAIV (H5N1) in frozen duck carcass samples of retained slaughter batches of 1 farm indicated that silent infection had occurred for some time before the incidental detection.

Phylogenetic analysis established a direct epidemiologic link between HPAIV isolated from duck meat and strains isolated from 3 further outbreaks in December 2007 in backyard chickens that had access to uncooked offal from commercial deep-frozen duck carcasses.

Measures that will prevent such undetected introduction of HPAIV (H5N1) into the food chain are urgently required.

Suggested Citation for this Article

Harder TC, Teuffert J, Starick E, Gethmann J, Grund C, Fereidouni S, et al. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2009 Feb [date cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/15/2/272.htm
DOI: 10.3201/eid1502.080949
-

<cite cite="http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/15/2/272.htm">HPAIV in Duck Carcasses, Germany | CDC EID</cite>

[canagica]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

Taken from the EID paper:

"In December 2007, HPAIV (H5N1) was detected in 3 isolated backyard holdings in the Federal State of Brandenburg in northeastern Germany, although no concomitant cases of subtype H5N1 infection had been detected in wild birds or in poultry since August 2007. This puzzling situation prompted detailed field epidemiologic investigations. These investigations, corroborated by results from wild bird monitoring and from phylogenetic analysis of the respective viruses, indicate that wild birds can be ruled out with high reliability as a source of infection in these cases. Instead, infected duck meat, possibly originating from the German duck-fattening farms affected by the outbreaks in August 2007, might have caused these cases"

[mixin]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

backyard chickens that had access to uncooked offal from commercial deep-frozen duck carcasses.

It's probably not a good idea to feed infected duck parts to chickens.

[gsgs]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

it's probably not a good idea to have frozen infected
meat in supermarkets either.

The problem is you won't know it's infected before it's
in circulation.

[gsgs]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

1 year and 1 month





there was much speculation in the German press in early 2008.
FLI knew it all along...

They should have seuenced all segments, not only HA,
from the Bavarian and Brandenburg virus.

They should have examined whether the virus went from
Czech or Poland to Germany or vice versa.

[mixin]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

Yes, it isn't good to have it in the markets, either.

People are told many times to wash their hands after handling poultry and to be sure it's fully cooked. If they do that, then there isn't as much risk.

However, people who have pets tend to throw them a little scrap of raw meat while preparing it.

Feeding pets meat infected with H5N1 is not a good thing.

[HenryN]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

1 year and 1 month





there was much speculation in the German press in early 2008.
FLI knew it all along...

They should have seuenced all segments, not only HA,
from the Bavarian and Brandenburg virus.

They should have examined whether the virus went from
Czech or Poland to Germany or vice versa.

Origins are easily determeined by phylogentic analysis of HA. Additional sequencing has some added value, but is not required to establish linkages.

[HenryN]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

Yes, it isn't good to have it in the markets, either.

People are told many times to wash their hands after handling poultry and to be sure it's fully cooked. If they do that, then there isn't as much risk.

However, people who have pets tend to throw them a little scrap of raw meat while preparing it.

Feeding pets meat infected with H5N1 is not a good thing.

Please. Preparing uncooked H5N1 positive poultry in a household kitchen presents many risks that go well beyond hand washing. The H5N1 can spread to cutting surfaces, cutting utensils, and other foods prepared in the same area, including those that are not cooked. like vegetables for salads.

[mixin]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

Please. Preparing uncooked H5N1 positive poultry in a household kitchen presents many risks that go well beyond hand washing. The H5N1 can spread to cutting surfaces, cutting utensils, and other foods prepared in the same area, including those that are not cooked. like vegetables for salads.

I didn't say there was no risk; only there wasn't as much. Of course I assumed the people preparing the poultry know safe practices. You never cut veggies on the same surfaces with the same utensils that you've used on the poultry. While this may not be known in underdeveloped countries, I assumed Germany was aware of safe cooking standards.

[HenryN]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

I didn't say there was no risk; only there wasn't as much. Of course I assumed the people preparing the poultry know safe practices. You never cut veggies on the same surfaces with the same utensils that you've used on the poultry. While this may not be known in underdeveloped countries, I assumed Germany was aware of safe cooking standards.

What is the basis for this assumption? Simply rinsing off a knife and having the water splash onto a cutting surface or vegetables would spread the virus.

[mixin]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

What is the basis for this assumption? Simply rinsing off a knife and having the water splash onto a cutting surface or vegetables would spread the virus.

1. Not much proof that a virus is spread by consumption for one thing. Inhalation seems to be the most agreed upon method of transmission, unless I've missed something.

2. Washing your hands before rubbing your eyes or putting them in your nose, mouth is highly recommended to avoid colds and flu.

3. I was basing my comments on the way I personally prepare food and do dishes. I typically don't splash dirty dishwater all over my food and prep surfaces; especially if I'm having raw veggies.

4. If it was spread easily in general and specifically by risky cooking habits, it seems to me half of Indo would be infected. But what do I know, maybe it is?

No comments on feeding infected meat to pets?

[Farmer]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

1. Not much proof that a virus is spread by consumption for one thing. Inhalation seems to be the most agreed upon method of transmission, unless I've missed something.

2. Washing your hands before rubbing your eyes or putting them in your nose, mouth is highly recommended to avoid colds and flu.

3. I was basing my comments on the way I personally prepare food and do dishes. I typically don't splash dirty dishwater all over my food and prep surfaces; especially if I'm having raw veggies.

4. If it was spread easily in general and specifically by risky cooking habits, it seems to me half of Indo would be infected. But what do I know, maybe it is?

No comments on feeding infected meat to pets?

I share your food handling approach. However, we may not represent the typical American food handler. Infected birds shed AI in their feces.

Poultry-associated enteric illness is common in the US where there are surveillance systems to detect illness associated with Salmonella and Campylobacter; these are also fecal pathogens.

Enteric pathogens associated with poultry processing.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=223226

Interpretive Summary: The United States is the world?s largest producer and exporter of poultry meat. Almost 9 billion chickens and 3 millions turkeys are processed in the U.S. each year. Chicken has become the most frequently consumed meat in the U. S., and the amount of chicken and turkey meat consumed in the U.S. continues to increase every year. However, contaminated poultry products can serve as sources of human foodborne diseases. Each year, approximately 10% of the reported cases of outbreaks of human foodborne illnesses are related to contaminated poultry. These poultry-related foodborne outbreaks are responsible for up to 81 million cases of human foodborne illnesses; approximately 9 thousand deaths; and a financial cost of 9.4 billion dollars in medical costs, lost wages, and reduced production. Therefore, foodborne pathogens associated with poultry processing continue to be a major food safety issue.

I think that were were lucky that no human cases were detected in Germany and Poland after AI contaminated meat was introduced into the food supply.

As far as throwing contaminated food to pets and infecting them with AI, it is possible. The report of tigers infected after being fed contaminated birds comes to mind. There are multiple anecdotes of animals dying after eating infected poultry.

[HenryN]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

1. Not much proof that a virus is spread by consumption for one thing. Inhalation seems to be the most agreed upon method of transmission, unless I've missed something.

H5N1 transmission is usually "hand to mouth".

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

Avian Influenza A (H5N1) Infection in Humans

The Writing Committee of the World Health Organization (WHO) Consultation on Human Influenza A/H5


(snipped)

Transmission

Human influenza is transmitted by inhalation of infectious droplets and droplet nuclei, by direct contact, and perhaps, by indirect (fomite) contact, with self-inoculation onto the upper respiratory tract or conjunctival mucosa.4,5 The relative efficiency of the different routes of transmission has not been defined. For human influenza A (H5N1) infections, evidence is consistent with bird-to-human, possibly environment-to-human, and limited, nonsustained human-to-human transmission to date.

Animal to Human

In 1997, exposure to live poultry within a week before the onset of illness was associated with disease in humans, whereas there was no significant risk related to eating or preparing poultry products or exposure to persons with influenza A (H5N1) disease.6 Exposure to ill poultry and butchering of birds were associated with seropositivity for influenza A (H5N1)7 (Table 2). Recently, most patients have had a history of direct contact with poultry (Table 3), although not those who were involved in mass culling of poultry. Plucking and preparing of diseased birds; handling fighting cocks; playing with poultry, particularly asymptomatic infected ducks; and consumption of duck's blood or possibly undercooked poultry have all been implicated. Transmission to felids has been observed by feeding raw infected chickens to tigers and leopards in zoos in Thailand17,18 and to domestic cats under experimental conditions.19 Transmission between felids has been found under such conditions. Some infections may be initiated by pharyngeal or gastrointestinal inoculation of virus.

Human to Human

Human-to-human transmission of influenza A (H5N1) has been suggested in several household clusters16 and in one case of apparent child-to-mother transmission (Table 3).20 Intimate contact without the use of precautions was implicated, and so far no case of human-to-human transmission by small-particle aerosols has been identified. In 1997, human-to-human transmission did not apparently occur through social contact,8 and serologic studies of exposed health care workers indicated that transmission was inefficient9 (Table 2). Serologic surveys in Vietnam and Thailand have not found evidence of asymptomatic infections among contacts (Table 2). Recently, intensified surveillance of contacts of patients by reverse-transcriptase?polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assay has led to the detection of mild cases, more infections in older adults, and an increased number and duration of clusters in families in northern Vietnam,21 findings suggesting that the local virus strains may be adapting to humans. However, epidemiologic and virologic studies are needed to confirm these findings. To date, the risk of nosocomial transmission to health care workers has been low, even when appropriate isolation measures were not used10,11 (Table 2). However, one case of severe illness was reported in a nurse exposed to an infected patient in Vietnam.

Environment to Human

Given the survival of influenza A (H5N1) in the environment, several other modes of transmission are theoretically possible. Oral ingestion of contaminated water during swimming and direct intranasal or conjunctival inoculation during exposure to water are other potential modes, as is contamination of hands from infected fomites and subsequent self-inoculation. The widespread use of untreated poultry feces as fertilizer is another possible risk factor.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/353/13/1374

[mixin]

Re: Emerg Infect Dis. Highly pathogenic influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.

Ok, just so we don't lose sight of my original remark, we were talking about avoiding infection from frozen infected birds which have been introduced into the food chain.

Seasonal Influenza:
1. Human influenza is transmitted by inhalation of infectious droplets and droplet nuclei, by direct contact, and perhaps, by indirect (fomite) contact, with self-inoculation onto the upper respiratory tract or conjunctival mucosa.

I said

Not much proof that a virus is spread by consumption for one thing. Inhalation seems to be the most agreed upon method of transmission, unless I've missed something.

H5N1
1. Plucking and preparing of diseased birds; handling fighting cocks; playing with poultry, particularly asymptomatic infected ducks; and consumption of duck's blood or possibly undercooked poultry have all been implicated.

This indicates hand-to-nose, or to eye to me; I said

People are told many times to wash their hands after handling poultry and to be sure it's fully cooked. If they do that, then there isn't as much risk.

2. Several other modes of transmission (through the environment) are theoretically possible.

Niman said

Simply rinsing off a knife and having the water splash onto a cutting surface or vegetables would spread the virus.

3. Intimate contact without the use of precautions was implicated, and so far no case of human-to-human transmission by small-particle aerosols has been identified.

Here it appears if you wash your hands after contact (and don't kiss), risk will be reduced greatly.

And in 25% of the cases, they really don't know how bird flu is transmitted.