.:EUROPEAN WILD BIRDS SURVEILLANCE FOR BF:.

[Giuseppe]

From latest edition of Eurosurveillance Weekly Review (available online at http://www.eurosurveillance.org)
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(TEXT DELETED)

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: .:EUROPEAN WILD BIRDS SURVEILLANCE FOR BF:.

posted (with chart) at http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43722

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[Giuseppe]

Re: .:EUROPEAN WILD BIRDS SURVEILLANCE FOR BF:.

European Commission website published an updated version of the bulletin of Animal Diseases Notification System, with data on the most recent poultry and wild birds avian influenza (HPAI and LPAI) cases in the EU member states.
http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/adns/table_11_2007/adns_141207_en.pdf

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:EUROPEAN WILD BIRDS SURVEILLANCE FOR BF:.

In this post, latest IZSVE (Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padova, OIE Reference Laboratory for AIV) update about LPAI H5 / H7 epizootics in Italy.
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LPAI H7N3 IN ITALY: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SITUATION
5th November 2007
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Since the end of May, 2007, eighteen LPAI outbreaks caused by a type A AI virus of the H7 and H5 subtype have occurred in Italy (Table 1).
Twelve outbreaks have been identified in back-yard flocks or in dealer farms supplying the rural and hobby poultry
sectors (last outbreak confirmed on 29 October 2007 in Torino province).
On 22 August 2007, an H7N3 LPAI virus was isolated in a meat turkey holding located in the Municipality of Paderno Francia-Corta in the Province of Brescia, Lombardia Region.
From 22 August to 30 October 2007, another 5 LPAI infected meat turkey holdings were identified in the same Region (last outbreak on 4 October 2007 in Brescia province).

Phylogenetic analysis of the HA gene of the viruses isolated starting from 19 July 2007 indicated that all the viruses identified were part of the Eurasian lineage of H7 viruses and presenting high homology among them.
HA and NA sequences with respective homologies of 94.5% and 93.5% did not show these isolates to be closely related to the previous H7N3 LPAI virus isolated during an outbreak in rural chickens in May, 2007, in Venice Province, Veneto Region.
Similarly, all the H7N3 LPAI viruses isolated in 2007 were unrelated to the H7N3 virus that caused the 2002-2004 LPAI epidemic in Italy.

Furthermore, on 14 August 2007, an LPAI virus of the H5N2 subtype was isolated in a free-range goose and duck breeder flock in Emilia-Romagna Region.
The HA gene of this virus strain was not phylogenetically related (93.2% homology) to the H5N2 LPAI virus that caused the 2005 epidemic in Lombardia Region, whereas the HA gene showed a higher level of homology (98.5%) with H5N2 LPAI viruses isolated from wild waterfowl in
Germany in 2005.
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http://www.izsvenezie.it/dnn/Portals/0/AI/05_11_Report_Focolai_LPAI_web_eng.pdf
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See also the PDF (in Italian) for more genetical sequence details: http://www.izsvenezie.it/dnn/Portals/0/AI/situazione epidemiologica AI 5nov.pdf

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:EUROPEAN WILD BIRDS SURVEILLANCE FOR BF:.

-=NEWCASTLE DISEASE IN ITALY, PIGEON=-

2) [NEWCASTLE DISEASE, POULTRY, ITALY, OIE, UPDATES] Newcastle disease, Italy

Information received on 18/12/2007 from Dr Romano Marabelli, Direttore Generale, Direzione Generale Sanita Veterinaria e Alimenti , Ministero della Salute, ROME, Italy

Summary
Report type Immediate notification
Start date 22/11/2007
Date of confirmation of event 30/11/2007
Report date 18/12/2007
Date submitted to OIE 18/12/2007
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 11/2006
Manifestation of disease Clinical disease
Causal agent Newcastle disease virus
Nature of diagnosis Clinical, Laboratory (advanced)
Report pertains to Defined zone within the country

New outbreaks
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak Location

* PIEMONTE (PIEMONTE, SAN MICHELE, ALESSANDRIA)

Total animals affected: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 28 - 8 - 8 - 8
Outbreak statistics: Species - Apparent morbidity rate - Apparent mortality rate - Apparent case fatality rate - Proportion susceptible removed*
*Birds - 28.57% - 28.57% - 100.00% - 57.14%
* Removed from the susceptible population either through death, destruction or slaughter
Description of Affected Population: pigeons

Epidemiology
Source of infection

* Unknown or inconclusive

Control measures
Measures already applied

* Quarantine
* Movement control inside the country
* Zoning
* Vaccination permitted
* No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied

* None specified

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO SPERIMENTALE DELLE VENEZIE - PADOVA (OIE?s Reference Laboratory)
Tests and results: Species - Test - Test date - Result
*Birds - virus isolation - 30/11/2007 - Positive

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See more at http://www.oie.int - EDITED.

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[Giuseppe]

Re: .:EUROPEAN WILD BIRDS SURVEILLANCE FOR BF:.

Table of confirmed cases of H5N1 in wild birds, European Union, updated, Dec 18, 2007.

HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA (HPAI) CASES IN WILD BIRDS IN 2007 NOTIFIED BY MEMBER STATES TO
THE ANIMAL DISEASE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM (ADNS)

HPAI cases in wild birds notified by MS to ADNS in 2007 as of 18 December: 308.

Week 50: 1.

Cumulative number per state:
* GERMANY: 298.
* FRANCE: 7.
* Czech Rep.: 1.
* HUGARY: 1.
* POLAND: 1.

Species:
* GREBES: 269.
* SWANS: 28.
* DUCKS: 6.
* GEESE: 2.
* OTHERS: 3.
See PDF at: http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/diseases/adns/adns_wildbirds2007.pdf =-=

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: .:EUROPEAN WILD BIRDS SURVEILLANCE FOR BF:.

.:ANOTHER NEWCASTLE DISEASE EPIZOOTICS IN POULTRY, PORDENONE, NORTH ITALY:.

2) [NEWCASTLE DISEASE, POULTRY, ITALY, OIE, UPDATES] Newcastle disease, Italy

Information received on 19/12/2007 from Dr Romano Marabelli, Direttore Generale, Direzione Generale Sanita Veterinaria e Alimenti , Ministero della Salute, ROME, Italy

Summary

Report type Follow-up report No. 1
Start date 22/11/2007
Date of confirmation of event 30/11/2007
Report date 19/12/2007
Date submitted to OIE 19/12/2007
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 11/2006
Manifestation of disease Clinical disease
Causal agent Newcastle disease virus
Nature of diagnosis Clinical, Laboratory (advanced)
Report pertains to Defined zone within the country
Related reports Immediate notification (18/12/2007)
Follow-up report No. 1 (19/12/2007)

New outbreaks

Outbreak 1 (2) - PORDENONE, FRIULI-VENEZIA GIULIA
Date of start of outbreak 30/11/2007
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not submitted)
Epidemiological unit Farm
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
*Birds - 33 - 1 - 1 - 32 - 0
Affected population layer chickens and pigeons
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak statistics: Species - Apparent morbidity rate - Apparent mortality rate - Apparent case fatality rate - Proportion susceptible removed*
*Birds - 3.03% - 3.03% - 100.00% - 100.00%
* Removed from the susceptible population either through death, destruction or slaughter

Epidemiology

Source of infection Unknown or inconclusive

Control measures

Measures already applied Stamping out
Quarantine
Movement control inside the country
Zoning
Vaccination permitted
No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied None specified

Diagnostic test results

Laboratory name and type ISTITUTO ZOOPROFILATTICO SPERIMENTALE DELLE VENEZIE - PADOVA (OIE?s Reference Laboratory)
Tests and results: Species - Test - Test date - Result
*Birds - virus isolation - 30/11/2007 - Positive

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http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=6607
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[Giuseppe]

Re: .:EUROPEAN WILD BIRDS SURVEILLANCE FOR BF:.

.:THE STRANGE CASE OF LPAI H5 / H7 EPIZOOTICS AND NEWCASTLE DISEASE IN ITALY or HOW COMMUNICATE:.

Since June northern italian regions continue to experience several epizootics in poultry due to LPAI H5 and H7 viruses (mainly A/H5N2 and A/H7N3). Media coverage was null.
A vaccination campaign was conducted and no further epizootics were reported to date.
No decrease in poultry and related products demand were recorded and consumers' confidence remains stable, and - more important thing - the prices for sellers.

However, I fell no great to know how many viruses continue to harbor in the massive poultry farming industry, even in my region, Veneto, since in the past widespread epizootics happened with millions of heads of poultry culled.

To improve a bit with media coverage I sent an email to Promed - after promptly published. In the letter, I pointed out the lack of communication by veterinarian authorities and in general by media actors.

Subsequently, a bitter reply was posted by an italian veterinarian officer: publication of an OIE Report is due only every six months for LPAI H5 / H7 epizootics in Italy (!)

Now, a prompt report appears in WAHID system with a couple of Newcastle disease epizootics in poultry.

ND YES and LPAI NOT?

 

[Giuseppe]

.EFRA AVIAN INFLUENZA SITUATION UPDATE IN UK AND EU:.

.EFRA AVIAN INFLUENZA SITUATION UPDATE IN UK AND EU:.

1) [AVIAN INFLUENZA, UNITED KINGDOM, EUROPEAN UNION] Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) September to December 2007 – an update


Note: Defra’s International Trade Core Function (ITCF) monitors outbreaks of high impact diseases around the world. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is among those diseases of major concern.

Ref: VITT 1200/HPAI-Germany
Date: 21 December 2007


Disease report
Africa: Benin reported three outbreaks in small-holder and mixed-species village poultry in Cotonou, Adjara and Akpro-Misserete during early December.

Egypt reported an outbreak in ducks in Al Jizah in November, in backyard poultry in Al Minya and Dumyat in October and in backyard chickens and ducks in Al Gharbiyah in September.


Asia: China reported one outbreak in ducks in Guangdong in early September.


Myanmar reported an outbreak in farmed quails, chickens and ducklings in Bago in mid-October and another in backyard poultry in Shan State in early November.

Pakistan reported an outbreak on a broiler farm in Punjab in late November.

Two more were reported in broiler breeders in North-West Frontier in mid-October and another in late November.


Saudi Arabia reported four outbreaks in broiler breeder and layer chickens in Ar Riyad in mid-November.

Vietnam reported a number of outbreaks in unvaccinated ducks and chickens from early July through to early November. The affected provinces were Ninh-
Binh, Dong Thap, Quang Binh, Thai Nguyen, Lai Chau, Tra Vinh, Quang Tri, Cao Bang, Nam Dinh, Ha Nam and Ben Tre.


Europe: Germany reported an outbreak in commercial ducks in Bayern in September.


Poland reported outbreaks in Mazowieckie, two outbreaks in turkeys at the end of November; one in backyard poultry and two in laying hens in early December.

There were also outbreaks in Warminsko-Mazurskie in mid-December, one in wild birds in a shelter and two in hens, ducks and geese.

Romania reported an outbreak in backyard poultry in Tulcea in late November.

United Kingdom reported two outbreaks in commercial turkeys in Suffolk in England during mid-November.

Russia reported outbreaks in a layer poultry farm in Krasnodarskiy Kray in late August and another in commercial layer chickens in Rostovskaya Oblast' in early December.


Situation assessment
Outbreaks of HPAI (H5N1) continue to occur in or near areas where outbreaks have occurred in the past.

The situation in Indonesia is unclear as there have been no recent reports published by the OIE.


This preliminary risk assessment identifies that a number of cases of H5N1 in domestic poultry have been reported in EU Member States and eastern Europe.

The situation in the rest of the world shows a similar distribution pattern to that which existed in the first half of 2007.

Outbreaks continue in South and South-East Asia, North and West Africa and the Middle East.

North and South America, Oceania and southern Africa appear to remain free of the virus.


In Europe, the relationships of the various isolates has been investigated by the Community Reference Laboratory at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA).

The phylogenetic analysis of the HA1 portion of the haemagglutinin gene of viruses from Czech Republic (A / mute swan / Czech Republic / 10732/ 2007; A/turkey/Czech Republic/10309/07), Romania (A / chicken / Romania/1-10705/2007), UK (A / turkey / England / 2614/07; A / turkey / England/2734/07) and Poland (A / turkey / Poland /35/07; A/turkey/Poland/36/07) indicates a close genetic relationship, with these viruses clustering together identifying common or closely related progenitors (for example 99.8% identity between Czech/Mute Swan and the UK, Suffolk viruses).

Whilst very closely related to, these viruses are very slightly different phylogenetically from other contemporary viruses such as from Germany, both wild birds and poultry during the summer of 2007 (Ian Brown, VLA, Personal comment).


Further analyses is in progress at the VLA and other laboratories to reveal the most precise relationships but the causal virus appears to be very closely related to others associated with infections in poultry and wild birds in the EU during the last 5 months.

The UK (Suffolk) isolate shares a 99.4 % homology with the turkey virus from the first Czech Republic outbreak in June 2007 and the virus isolated from commercial chickens in their second outbreak.

There is a 99.6% identity between the isolate from the Mute Swan (June 2007) in the south of the Czech Republic and the two outbreaks in domestic birds further north in the Czech Republic.

There is a 99.2% identity between the Czech Republic turkey isolate (June 2007) and the isolate from the Mute Swan in Bavaria, Germany in July 2007.


However all of the contemporary European viruses whilst closely related to those detected in both poultry and wild birds during 2006/early 2007 can be distinguished, indicating a series of events and reflecting the continued evolution of H5N1 HPAI viruses.

The possibility that H5N1 virus may be circulating at an undetectable level in wild bird populations across Europe has been suggested previously.

This situation may result in further outbreaks whenever and wherever infection is transmitted into susceptible poultry or wild birds.


Conclusion
In our last qualitative risk assessment we concluded that outbreaks in nearby countries in Europe would increase the likelihood of H5N1 being found in the UK (Sabirovic and others, 2007).
As it currently stands, reports from affected EU Member States and Europe as a whole, demonstrate an increasing likelihood of HPAI H5N1 virus being present in wild bird
populations in the currently affected areas.

However the risk to the UK remains unchanged, since the autumn migration has already taken place and there are limited opportunities for wild bird movements between Member States and the UK at this time of the year.

This risk could increase if there are unseasonal movements of birds resulting from adverse weather conditions on the continent.

Nevertheless, the importance of maintaining appropriate
biosecurity measures must be emphasised.

This preliminary outbreak assessment does not alter the conclusions set out above.

We continue to monitor developments.

The results of the continued surveillance in Europe and Great Britain are obviously crucial in assessing the risk of introduction of H5N1 into the UK.


References
1) OIE. (2007). Weekly Disease Information. LINK (accessed 18-20 December 2007).
2) Sabirovic, M., S. Hall, J. Wilesmith and N. Coulson. (2007) Highly pathogenic avian influenza – H5N1 - Recent developments in the EU and the likelihood of the introduction into Great Britain by wild birds - An update and a commentary. Working document - version 1. LINK (accessed 20 December 2007).

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http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/monitoring/pdf/eu-afri-asia211207.pdf
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Shot at 2007-12-21