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Bangladesh refuses to share flu details
5 Feb 2008, 0004 hrs IST,Kounteya Sinha,TNN
SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates
NEW DELHI: Bangladesh has refused to share the genetic details of its H5N1 bird flu virus with India. In a blow to India's efforts to find the origin of the highly pathogenic avian influenza strain that is presently wreaking havoc in West Bengal, Bangladesh has informed the external affairs ministry that they are "yet to genetically sequence the H5N1 virus strain circulating there".
In a communication to MEA, Bangladesh has said the virus sequencing is still "under way in a lab in UK", and that it would therefore "not be able to share any virus related information" till the final reports arrive.
However, a senior animal husbandry ministry official told TOI on condition of anonymity: "We know for a fact that Bangladesh completed genetic sequencing of its virus as early as in mid-2007. The OIE Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge, UK, has completed the sequencing. The lab officials can't divulge the details till Bangladesh agrees to share the information."
Another expert said: "It's difficult to believe that even after multiple outbreaks, Bangladesh has not genetically sequenced the virus that would give it vital clues of the virus' origin and what measures need to be taken to control it."
The expert added: "Bangladesh is showing very little concern over the present H5N1 virus outbreak within its territory and outside. We also know that they are just culling birds in the infected farms and not in the infected zone. They aren't even compensating their farmers adequately."
Bangladesh is one of the worst-affected countries with bird flu. The H5N1 virus was first detected there in March 2007. Since then, over 36 of the country's 64 districts have been affected by bird flu.
India is almost certain that the H5N1 virus presently circulating in Bengal came from Bangladesh through illegal poultry trade.
The animal husbandry department and the Union health ministry, through the MEA, had made a formal request to the Bangladesh government to share the genetic history and information of its virus. Health secretary Naresh Dayal had told TOI: "If we see that the virus circulating in Bengal is the same as the Bangladeshi type, we can almost be certain that illegal trade of infected poultry from Bangladesh into India was the cause of the present outbreak."
(kounteya.sinha@timesgroup.com)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2756889,prtpage-1.cms
The Times of India -Breaking news, views. reviews, cricket from across India
Bangladesh refuses to share flu details
5 Feb 2008, 0004 hrs IST,Kounteya Sinha,TNN
SMS NEWS to 58888 for latest updates
NEW DELHI: Bangladesh has refused to share the genetic details of its H5N1 bird flu virus with India. In a blow to India's efforts to find the origin of the highly pathogenic avian influenza strain that is presently wreaking havoc in West Bengal, Bangladesh has informed the external affairs ministry that they are "yet to genetically sequence the H5N1 virus strain circulating there".
In a communication to MEA, Bangladesh has said the virus sequencing is still "under way in a lab in UK", and that it would therefore "not be able to share any virus related information" till the final reports arrive.
However, a senior animal husbandry ministry official told TOI on condition of anonymity: "We know for a fact that Bangladesh completed genetic sequencing of its virus as early as in mid-2007. The OIE Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza in Weybridge, UK, has completed the sequencing. The lab officials can't divulge the details till Bangladesh agrees to share the information."
Another expert said: "It's difficult to believe that even after multiple outbreaks, Bangladesh has not genetically sequenced the virus that would give it vital clues of the virus' origin and what measures need to be taken to control it."
The expert added: "Bangladesh is showing very little concern over the present H5N1 virus outbreak within its territory and outside. We also know that they are just culling birds in the infected farms and not in the infected zone. They aren't even compensating their farmers adequately."
Bangladesh is one of the worst-affected countries with bird flu. The H5N1 virus was first detected there in March 2007. Since then, over 36 of the country's 64 districts have been affected by bird flu.
India is almost certain that the H5N1 virus presently circulating in Bengal came from Bangladesh through illegal poultry trade.
The animal husbandry department and the Union health ministry, through the MEA, had made a formal request to the Bangladesh government to share the genetic history and information of its virus. Health secretary Naresh Dayal had told TOI: "If we see that the virus circulating in Bengal is the same as the Bangladeshi type, we can almost be certain that illegal trade of infected poultry from Bangladesh into India was the cause of the present outbreak."
(kounteya.sinha@timesgroup.com)
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2756889,prtpage-1.cms
