• FluTrackers.com Inc. does not provide medical advice. Information on this web site is collected from various internet resources, and the FluTrackers board of directors makes no warranty to the safety, efficacy, correctness or completeness of the information posted on this site by any author or poster. The information collated here is for instructional and/or discussion purposes only and is NOT intended to diagnose or treat any disease, illness, or other medical condition. Every individual reader or poster should seek advice from their personal physician/healthcare practitioner before considering or using any interventions that are discussed on this website. By continuing to access this website you agree to consult your personal physican before using any interventions posted on this website, and you agree to hold harmless FluTrackers.com Inc., the board of directors, the members, and all authors and posters for any effects from use of any medication, supplement, vitamin or other substance, device, intervention, etc. mentioned in posts on this website, or other internet venues referenced in posts on this website.
  • We are not asking for any donations. Do not donate to any entity who says they are raising funds for us.

Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

Who defines clades? How is it decided that a new one needs to be defined etc.? How many levels can it go to 2.2.2.1 etc.?

Just wondered.
They are defined by phylogenetic trees (which have limitations because the polymorphisms jump due to recombination). There have not been official breakdowns of 2.2, but the breakdowns will be as described in commentaries.
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

still 6 confirmed cases in Nuremberg, 19 suspects

3 dead swans found in Saxony. A preliminary test confirmed H5N1.
Location is Frohburg south of Leipzig


http://www.gesundheitpro.de/Vogelgrippe-Neue-Verdachtsfaelle-in-Vogelgrippe-A070626KOA0P051615.html

(in German)


found in Eschefeld near a big pond

lots of ponds in that region :


esch2.jpg
Traslation:

New cases of suspicion in Saxonia after the outbreak of the animal epidemic in Nuernberg called, see German experts to increased watchfulness however altogether no intensified risk situation. The authorities of the city expanded its safety precautions. In Saxonia meanwhile three dead swans were found. A first test proved the dangerous bird flu virus H5N1.
After the occurance of of the bird flu in Nuernberg also in Saxonia infected animals were found. Three dead swans were discovered in glad castle south of Leipzig, reported the Saxonian Ministry of Health. A first test proved the dangerous bird flu virus H5N1. At present further investigations ran at Bundesinstitut for animal health on the Baltic Sea island Riems. Only if the results were present, concrete measures were decided. In Saxonia in the previous year the bird flu in a utilizable animal existence had broken out.


The Lands of the Federal Republic should examine their bird flu of risk areas after the six confirmed H5N1-Faellen, recommended the president of the Friedrich Loeffler institute (FLI), Thomas's C Mettenleiter. "we must watch out that the virus is in-carried not into a utilizable poultry existence", said it on the island Riems.
According to data of the institute the Nuernberger of cases is the first H5N1-infizierten of game birds in Europe since August 2006. At that time a swan was infected in the Dresdner zoo. Since that time the exciters in Europe were proven only in poultry farms.
Safety precautions in Nuernberg
In Nuernberg intensified the authorities the safety precautions meanwhile. Local waters are to be searched in the future two times daily for animals ended. The restricted area was extended by individual surfaces. "our goal is it to prevent the further propagation of the animal epidemic", said mayor Ulrich Maly (SPD). A direct danger for humans does not exist however.


So far in Nuernberg altogether 18 dead birds were discovered. With six of them it is certain that they were infected with also the bird flu virus H5N1 dangerous for humans. The authorities try now to prevent a spreading of the virus to breed poultry. As reported 57 poultry owners with altogether scarcely 2600 pieces poultry are affected by the restricted area with approximately four kilometers radius, how a spokeswoman of the city had explained. The animals must remain and not be allowed in the stable to be sold. Parkwaechter are strengthen the linen obligation for dogs to control.


Consultation over loosening the stable obligation federal Secretary of Agriculture refuge Seehofer (CSU) generally does not estimate the risk by the bird flu more highly than so far. "that did not change so far", commentated a Ministry spokeswoman in Berlin. The Upper House of Parliament wants to advise in the coming week over a loosening of the stable obligation for poultry. Then the countries are to be able to decide larger exceptions. "it remains with the conditions, if we have to do it further with a local happening", said the spokeswoman.
Development of the bird flu under observation since autumn 2006 in the German bird flu monitoring program approximately 12,000 dead game birds were examined for the exciters, supplemental Mettenleiter. The outbreak of the bird flu at the end of January in a poultry farm in Hungary, the subsequent outbreak in a farm in Great Britain as well as the proof of the epidemic one week ago in a Truthahnbestand in Tschechien would have shown that the virus was present still in Europe.
Inoculation debate The Federal Government continues to reject a precautionary inoculating of poultry at present. "we are about to develop on the island Riems a vaccine with which one infected a Ministry spokeswoman of inoculated animals differentiate can", said. This suitable vaccine must be present however only. The Greens and FDP penetrate however on inoculating instead of killing. "either we ignore the stable obligation for the inoculation of the animals or become the permanent phenomenon", warned Green parliamentary group vice Baerbel Hoehn. The FDP parliamentary group demanded to advance the research more strongly. The parliamentary group that linking called the research gaps to the bird flu concern exciting.
Precaution for Pandemie case Germany is sufficiently for the case prepared that the virus H5N1 mutated and a world-wide Grippepandemie could release, said the social minister and chairman of Baden-Wuerttemberg of the conference of minister of health Monika pride (CDU) the trade paper. According to data of the newspaper only six of the 16 Lands of the Federal Republic for 20 per cent of the population put on a medicine supply. But are itself federation and countries in the meantime united that the supplies with flu medicines are sufficient to supply each gotten sick one since in the meantime many institutions over own supplies ordered and the manufacturers their production capacities substantial would have developed.
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

> 49.422482 11.111161 24/06/2007
> 49.451741 11.10286 24/06/2007
> 49.451846 11.103044 25/06/2007
> 49.451421 11.098225 25/06/2007
> 49.450911 11.099059 25/06/2007
> 49.453948 11.101671 24/06/2007

very good ! They should use that for all genbank-entries.
Also the date of collection, not only the sampling date.
Also species, (estimated)age and sex and weight.
and estimated date of infection/death
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

> 49.422482 11.111161 24/06/2007
> 49.451741 11.10286 24/06/2007
> 49.451846 11.103044 25/06/2007
> 49.451421 11.098225 25/06/2007
> 49.450911 11.099059 25/06/2007
> 49.453948 11.101671 24/06/2007

very good ! They should use that for all genbank-entries.
Also the date of collection, not only the sampling date.
Also species, (estimated)age and sex and weight.
and estimated date of infection/death
Yes, that is why they had 6 seperate listings, so the coordinates could be entered for each H5N1 positive bird.
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

apparantly birds still swim on the Silbersee which is dirty and contaminated.
Wonder whether they find food there.
The Canada goose was on the Silbersee, while the 5 swans were
on Woerder lake.
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

I've created a map for you. The data file is titled Europe (for obvious reasons):

Here's the Google map
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

I've created a map for you. The data file is titled Europe (for obvious reasons):

Here's the Google map
Speaking of Europe, the coordinates for the turkey farm in the Czech Republic are 49.9411 16.2351 (which along with Leipez make an interesting triangle in the heart of western Europe)
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

Of Jens Lubbadeh An old acquaintance announced itself in Germany again back: H5N1, the exciter of the bird flu, was discovered in the middle in dead game birds in Nuernberg. Do we have to become panisch now? No. Not because of H5N1. For a panic there are many better candidates. The bird flu is back in Germany, after one had nearly already again forgotten it. With six dead birds in Nuernberg the dangerous H5N1-Virus was determined. And again there is the always-same pictures, those by the media spirit: Men in white schutzanzuegen, breathing masks and rubber gloves, which in-collect dead birds in plastic bags.
It was never really away, the bird flu. "we are assumed that that the virus is still present, we it however not see active always", said Elke Reinking of Friedrich Loeffler Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut after the finds in Nuernberg. At H5N1-infizierte of birds we will have ourselves to thus accustom. As in a reservoir the virus in the game birds schlummert, and those get along with it usually well. Panic is not necessary. Already recover to caution, as long as one comes the Vogelkadavern not too close, no danger exists. Against migratory birds nothing protects us at the latest since February 2006, when the first swans on ruegen, died at bird flu, were found, is clear everyone: Also viruses are part of the globalization. Against terrorism one cannot rig, before migratory birds protects us anything. One can only react - and then also only with rough methods such as Massenkeulungen and stable obligation
Even if the scientists stress again and again that H5N1 is primarily a bird virus - in the messages H5N1 comes differently more rueber. Only chickens in Asia, then swans in Eastern Europe, then cats. And at one time humans. First still in Asia. But it was obvious - the virus moved closer. Geographically as biological. Nevertheless: An infection danger for humans, then was called it again and again from expert side, is small and only with intensive contact with infected poultry available. And the victims had actually lived usually very closely with birds together. In addition was Asia far away. Felt at least. The virus was in the winter break as in Turkey several children at the exciter died - they had played with chicken heads and contact with the blood of the animals had had - had Europe its first bird-flu-dead. The fear had reached its high point. All talked at one time only about Tamiflu, beside Relenza the only medicine, which was to protect against the virus infection. Possibly. That was enough: The Pharmakonzern Roche came no longer afterwards with the production of the alleged protection. And with the money making also not.
t became sometime again calmly around H5N1. The summer came, Germany in the WM fever and the heat-sensitive virus of the image plane had disappeared. But only apparently, because the scientists warned of new outbreaks in the autumn and winter. But nothing happened. H5N1 went into the winter break. , then it was called the mild temperatures, the virus in chess would have held. Only in the spring 2007 there were then again new cases of infected birds - in Hungary and England. Now thus it goes again loosely: In Nuernberg H5N1 celebrates its comeback in Germany. Thus a new round panic? We do not have dear fear of bird as before people flu for it give it a reason. Until today at H5N1 world-wide 190 humans died. That is not anything compared to the numbers, which go on the account from malaria, HIV or yellow fever. Or on close relatives of H5N1: the people flu. Each year demands it thousands of victims - here in Germany. Robert-Koch-Institut per year on average reports 10,000 deaths by flu. In the particularly violent winter season 2002/2003 there was even 16,000 flu-dead. Numbers, in which nobody is interested. Instead we have humans dear fear of the bird as before the people flu. It is that foreigner, which unknown quantity, which exotic ones, which we are afraid so gladly. Schnoede flu - it does not seem to be suited for a formidable panic. At least not without an additive: Russia -, Siberia -, or bird flu should already be it, in order to make fear.
Tamiflu does not protect no more with all respect for the mutation ability of the virus and in full consciousness the fact that it already once a world-wide Pandemie - which came out Spanish flu - gave - and this also from a bird flu virus: This virus will not be it, of which one has to be afraid. Separate if necessary before one of its descendants. Tamiflu to strongholds will not bring anything, because Tamiflu resistant H5N1-Staemme was already found. Perhaps still there is no Pandemievirus and it one will also never give. Up to then it is more meaningful to concentrate on the material dangers. A measure would be for example to be able regular to be inoculated - against people flu.

http://www.stern.de/wissenschaft/medizin/591774.html?nv=ct_mt
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

The triangle doesn't mean much if the isolates don't match.
There are rumors the czech sequences match to isolates from Kuweit
I couldn't find confirmation to this
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

180 birds examined in Nuernberg, 9 positives.
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

Germany seeking source of bird flu outbreaks

HAMBURG, June 27 (Reuters) - Germany must find the source of the outbreak of the lethal H5N1 strain of avian flu in wild birds, Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer said on Wednesday.

Germany identified three cases of the H5N1 strain in wild swans on Tuesday in Leipzig in the eastern state of Saxony.

At the weekend, six wild birds in the southern city of Nuremberg tested positive for H5N1.

They were the first bird flu cases in Germany this year.

"The renewed appearance of bird flu in wild birds in Germany has surprised us in terms of the time," Seehofer said in a statement.

Despite the latest outbreaks, Germany has not raised its bird flu alert level, said Thomas Mettenleiter, head of the Friedrich-Loeffler national animal disease institute.

"We had always believed that the disease had not simply disappeared from us and this is reflected in the current risk assessment," he said.

German authorities said on Tuesday they were comparing the latest finds with viruses in outbreaks in Hungary and the Czech Republic to seek clues as to how the H5N1 strain entered the country.

http://wap.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L27728962.htm
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

The triangle doesn't mean much if the isolates don't match.
There are rumors the czech sequences match to isolates from Kuweit
I couldn't find confirmation to this
The isolates won't match. The triangle shows that the outbreaks are widespread, but in the heart of western Europe.

The isolates from Austria (Feb 2006) matched the healthy teal in the Nile Delta (Dec 2005). The sequences in Egypt in Dec 2005 were in western Europe in the fall of 2005 (but none were detected until 2006).
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

This was what I was trying to say. If the sequences won't match there is no explication for the coincidence and accumulation of all these cases.
Maybe it is due in part to encanced awakeness. The more people mind the more they find.
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

This was what I was trying to say. If the sequences won't match there is no explication for the coincidence and accumulation of all these cases.
Maybe it is due in part to encanced awakeness. The more people mind the more they find.
I think it is a combination of awareness and something that is leading to higher levels of H5N1 and death (all wild bird detection to date has been in dead birds involving multiple sub-clades, and in many instances, like the current German outbreaks or the positive in southern Czech Republic, there are no reported cases on farms).

The H5N1 has been in western Europe since the fall of 2005, but detection has been sporatic.
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

AVIAN INFLUENZA (113): GERMANY (BAVARIA, SAXONY)
************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

[1,2] Reports from the Friedrich Loeffler Institute - Germany

******
[1]
Date: Wed 27 Jun 2007
From: Thomas Mettenleiter <thomas.mettenleiter@fli.bund.de>


One day after the confirmation of the presence of HPAIV (highly pathogenic
avian influenza virus) H5N1 in 5 dead mute swans (_Cygnus olor_) and one
Canada goose (_Branta canadensis_) at 2 lakes within the city of Nuremberg
in Germany, 3 further mute swans were found dead this morning [26 Jun 2007]
at a small lake about 180 km (about 112 mi) north of Nuremberg in
Frohburg/Saxony. Investigations at the regional laboratory in Leipzig
yielded an initial suspicion, which was confirmed by the National and OIE
(World Organization for Animal Health) reference laboratory for Avian
Influenza at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut this afternoon. Real-time
RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) specific for HPAIV
of Qinghai-like strains (Hoffmann et al, 2007) proved that the viruses
present in the Saxonian swans are highly pathogenic H5N1. Sequence analyses
are ongoing.

[Dr Anja Globig (Institute of Diagnostic Virology)
PD Dr Timm Harder (National and OIE Reference Laboratory for AI)
PD Dr Martin Beer (head, Institute of Diagnostic Virology)
Prof Dr Dr hc Thomas C Mettenleiter (president, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut)]

--
Prof Dr rer nat habil Dr med vet hc Thomas C Mettenleiter
President and Professor
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut
17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems
Germany
<thomas.mettenleiter@fli.bund.de>

******
[2]
Date: Mon 25 Jun 2007
From: Thomas Mettenleiter <thomas.mettenleiter@fli.bund.de>


Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 re-emerged in
wild aquatic birds in southern Germany. The virus was detected on Fri 22
Jun 2007, in 5 mute swans (_Cygnus olor_) and one Canada goose (_Branta
canadensis_) found dead at 2 lakes located in the inner city of Nuremberg.
Initial results obtained by the regional laboratory (Landesamt fur
Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit, Erlangen) have been confirmed and
extended by the OIE (Office International des Epizooties; World
Organization for Animal Health) and National Reference Laboratory for Avian
Influenza at the Friedrich-Loeffler Institut, Isle of Riems. A real-time
RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) specific for H5
strains of the "Qinghai" lineage yielded positive results. This virus
lineage had caused the epidemic among wild birds in Europe in 2006 and had
also been responsible for the outbreaks in Hungary and the UK in 2007.
Thus, a close relationship to this lineage is anticipated for the viruses
from Nuremberg.

Further sequence analysis is in progress. Results will allow a thorough
comparison also to the H5N1 HPAI virus causing an outbreak in a turkey
holding in the Czech Republic last week [18-24 Jun 2007]. Nuremberg is
situated 375 km (233 mi) west of the site of the Czech outbreak.

The last H5N1 case in Germany had been detected in a black swan (_Cygnus
atratus_) in the Dresden zoo, in south eastern Germany, in August 2006. The
examination of more than 16 000 wild birds comprising a total of 186
species since autumn 2006 had not yielded any H5N1 HPAI positive results.
In 2007, a total of 1347 mute swans, 335 of which were found dead, had
tested negative for H5N1. Nevertheless, it cannot be excluded that the
virus has been continuously present at low prevalence and/or in clustered
pockets of the wild bird population. This had been addressed in the risk
assessment of the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut of April 2007, in which the
overall risk of an introduction of H5N1 HPAIV was characterized as "moderate".

Ongoing regional monitoring activities among the wild bird population will
be intensified to check whether further pockets of H5N1 HPAIV infection are
present in this region. In addition, enhanced biosecurity measures are to
be implemented in poultry holdings.

[Dr Anja Globig (Institute of Diagnostic Virology)
Dr Christoph Staubach (Institute of Epidemiology)
Dr Fred Unger (Institute of Epidemiology)
PD Dr Timm Harder (head, OIE and National Reference Laboratory for AI)
PD Dr Martin Beer (head, Institute of Diagnostic Virology)
PD Dr Franz-Josef Conraths (head, Institute of Epidemiology)
Prof Dr Dr hc Thomas C Mettenleiter (president, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut)]
--
Prof Dr rer nat habil Dr med vet hc Thomas C Mettenleiter
President und Professor
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut
17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems
Germany
<thomas.mettenleiter@fli.bund.de>

[The receipt of the these 2 reports from the Friedrich Loeffler Institute
(FLI), initially submitted, respectively, on 25 and 26 Jun 2007, has been
delayed for technical reasons. We are grateful to Prof Mettenleiter and his
colleagues for their firsthand and authoritative information. We also thank
Thomas Roesel for kindly translating a press release from FLI, dated 26 Jun
2007 (the original is available at
<http://www.fli.bund.de/253.html?&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=406&cHash=11da06
ab88>).
The text he submitted has been replaced by the institute's report above.

Results of the molecular studies and phylogenetic analysis of the current
German isolates, undertaken by the FLI OIE reference laboratory, as well as
those addressing the recent isolate from the Czech Republic, undertaken by
another OIE reference laboratory, VRL, Weybridge, UK, are anticipated with
interest. - Mod.AS

Nuremberg can be located on the map of Germany available at
<http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/europe/germany.pdf>. - CopyEd.MJ]

[see also:
Avian influenza (112): Germany (Saxony), wild birds 20070626.2064
Avian influenza (109): Germany (Bavaria), wild birds 20070624.2040,
20070624.2041
Avian influenza (106): Czech Republic, turkeys, DEFRA 20070622.2018
Avian influenza (104): Russia (Siberia), wild ducks 20070620.1983
Avian influenza (38): UK-Hungary virus sequence 20070221.0643
Avian influenza (19): Hungary, Russia (Krasnodar) 20070129.0384]

.................arn/mj/sh
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

Germany Tests Four Birds for Avian Flu After Nine Cases Found

By Patrick Donahue
<!-- WARNING: #foreach: $wnstory.ATTS: null at /bb/data/web/templates/webmacro_en/20601100.wm:298.19 -->June 27 (Bloomberg) -- German authorities are testing the carcasses of four birds to determine whether they carried the H5N1 strain of avian flu after the virus was found in nine cases in the country in the past three days.
Six birds infected with the virus were found dead in the southern state of Bavaria and three in the eastern state of Saxony, developments that Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer called ``surprising.'' Federal and regional governments are taking steps to prevent infection of domestic poultry, he said.
``We will be observing these developments with the utmost vigilance over the next months and the next year,'' Seehofer told reporters today in Berlin. He said the government hasn't yet raised its alert level.
The disease has been found in geese and turkeys on farms in Hungary, the U.K. and the Czech Republic this year. The three birds discovered near the German city of Nuremberg June 24 are the European Union's first cases of H5N1 in wild birds this year. In 2006, it was detected in more than 700 wild birds in the EU.
Czech authorities reported new cases of bird flu today, at a chicken farm in eastern Bohemia and in a dead swan discovered in the country's south, Czech media reported, citing the State Veterinary Administration. Authorities said all 28,000 chickens at the farm will have to be killed, the iDnes news service said.
The chicken farm is 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from a turkey farm near the town of Usti nad Orlici, where H5N1 was discovered last week. Tests confirmed the same strain was found at the turkey farm.
Baltic Island
Avian influenza was first detected in Germany on the Baltic Sea island of Ruegen in February 2006, with the first case detected in domestic poultry six months later.
While H5N1 has caused the deaths of almost 300 million farm birds in 60 countries, it's known to have infected only 315 people in a dozen countries since 2003, according to the World Health Organization's tally, last updated June 25. Three of every five human cases were fatal and most were caused by contact with diseased poultry. Millions could die if H5N1 develops the characteristics of seasonal flu and begins spreading easily between people, touching off a global outbreak.
To contact the reporter on this story: Patrick Donahue in Berlin at pdonahue1@bloomberg.net .
Last Updated: June 27, 2007 10:58 EDT

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=a0rfqvFB3KU0&refer=germany
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

Potentially lethal H5N1 bird flu resurfaces in Europe <!-- END HEADLINE -->
<!-- BEGIN STORY BODY -->2 hours, 10 minutes ago


Czech authorities said Wednesday the H5N1 virus, which is potentially lethal to humans, had been found in a flock of chickens after its recent discovery among wild birds in Germany.
The presence of H5N1 bird flu was confirmed on a poultry farm near the village of Norin, just four kilometers (2.5 miles) from a farm where some 6,000 turkeys were slaughtered last week after the virus was detected there.
The farm in Tisova was the first incidence of H5N1 bird flu in Europe in four months.
Then on Sunday Germany joined the latest outbreak, confirming six cases in wild birds found dead near Nuremberg. That was followed by another report Tuesday involving three wild swans in the east of the country.
Zbynek Semerad, a spokesman for the Czech veterinary services, told AFP Wednesday the H5N1 virus had been confirmed by a national laboratory.
It was "the most serious animal infection" in the country since an episode of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001, he said.
Czech authorities have suggested that the virus could be due to wild birds contaminating litter.
They think the infection could have been transferred on the shoes of a worker or on a car tyre between the two poultry farms, which belong to the same cooperative.
All previous 13 cases of bird flu in the Czech Republic since March 2006 had affected wild swans only.
"There is no reason to panic. The special veterinary measures have already been widen without delay, with the aim of preventing a new outbreak of the virus," the website www.aktualne.cz quoted Czech Agriculture Minister Petr Gandalovic as saying.
"Strict controls are being followed in all the villages in the region," the veterinary services spokesman said. The area under observation had been extended from 10 to 14 kilometres, he added.
Some 28,00 chickens as well as all poultry in the village of Norin would be destroyed, Czech officials said.
Joseph Domenech, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation's chief veterinary officer, on Wednesday praised the Czech response to the bird flu outbreak.
"Their reaction was rather good and immediate. We believe that they have the situation under control," he told reporters in Rome.
The German outbreak comes nearly a year after the last case was reported there in Dresden last August, killing a swan in the eastern city's zoo.
The only incidence of the feared virus on a farm in Germany was reported in April 2006, after which more than 21,000 poultry were killed.
Worldwide the virus has killed 191 people out of 313 infected patients, according to the latest World Health Organisation toll dated June 15.
Experts fear the death toll would multiply rapidly if the virus were to mutate and become easily transmitted between humans.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/2007062...h&printer=1;_ylt=AiYGyDfPKkocqpycS7LuffiKOrgF
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

Berlin - the bird flu was brought in with high probability over the poultry trade with Tschechien to Germany. "the virus isolated in Nuernberg is identical to more than 99 per cent to the virus" arisen in Tschechien, said agrarian undersecretary of state Gert lime tree man on Wednesday of the German press agency of dpa in Berlin. Trade relations between an enterprise in the proximity of the outbreak place in Tschechien were determined to an enterprise of 50 kilometers by Nuernberg. In Nuernberg the bird flu had been discovered so far with ten game birds. Of it eight cases were confirmed, in Saxonia the H5N1-Virus with three swans had been determined according to Ministry data. Federal Secretary of Agriculture refuge Seehofer (CSU) called the population despite missing acute danger to highest watchfulness. "the virus is not away from Germany", said it. It concerns so far only local of events. The Federal Government left the risk estimate unchanged therefore. For the first time in this year the national crisis staff of federation and countries met. In Tschechien the bird flu in a second poultry farm broke out. "we examine all trade routes between Franconias and Tschechien", said undersecretary of state lime tree man. This is important, in order to protect utilizable poultry. In Tschechien in the second poultry breeding enterprise with nearly 28,000 chickens with 60 animals the virus H5N1 was determined, how the authority for veterinary medicine reported. The enterprise in the place Norin lies approximately four kilometers far away from a Truthahnfarm, where the virus had been proven likewise on past Thursday. The authorities reported besides of a dead swan, which was ended in the southwest of the country at bird flu. Whether viruses of the type H5N1 were the cause, was unclear. The chicken existence again concerned was locked off by the police and is to be killed. Potenziell also the virus H5N1 dangerous for humans had emerged first in Nuernberg and with three swans in glad castle with Leipzig had been discovered then. A further case of suspicion made of glad castle was not confirmed. The virus from Nuernberg had been compared in the European reference laboratory in Great Britain with other viruses. Friedrich Loeffler Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) saw first no necessity to high-gradate the risk estimate for Germany. Only if the bird flu spreads like 2006, the evaluation must be changed, said institute boss Thomas Mettenleiter. Sign for a change of the virus, which could release an epidemic disease with humans, does not give it.
 
Re: Deadly bird flu strain found in Germany

Berlin - the bird flu was brought in with high probability over the poultry trade with Tschechien to Germany. "the virus isolated in Nuernberg is identical to more than 99 per cent to the virus" arisen in Tschechien, said agrarian undersecretary of state Gert lime tree man on Wednesday of the German press agency of dpa in Berlin.

99% doesn't mean much. All Qinghai sequences are in that range, especially if in the same area. There were three clades in Germany last year, and although each was distinct on phylogenetic trees, the homology was still in the 99% range.

For Hungary and the UK, the identity was 99.94%.
 
Back
Top