Re: H5N1 in Domestic Ducks in Bavaria
AVIAN INFLUENZA (149): GERMANY (BAVARIA)
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A ProMED-mail post
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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[1]
Date: Thu 30 Aug 2007
From: Martin Beer <
martin.beer@fli.bund.de>
More than 165 000 fattening ducks had been culled on a large farm
complex in Bavaria, Germany, after highly pathogenic avian influenza
virus H5N1 was detected on the farm on 25 Aug 2007. Full length HA
and partial (538 nts) NA sequences have now been established from RNA
isolated from the CNS [central nervous system] of a diseased duckling
originating from the outbreak holding in Bavaria. The HA sequence
fits into the group of sequences of recent EMA-3 like H5N1 variants
detected in wild birds in Germany and France and in poultry in the
Czech Republic in June/July 2007 (identity 99.1-99.5 percent at the
nucleotide level).
The sequence is clearly distinct from EMA-1- and -2-like isolates
present in Bavaria in 2006 in wild birds. Thus, the outbreak appears
to be epidemiologically linked to the presence of EMA-3-like H5N1
viruses detected in central Europe earlier this year [2007].
[Byline: E. Starick (Senior Scientist, NRL Avian Influenza,
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut) PD Dr. Timm Harder (Head NRL Avian
Influenza, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut) PD Dr. Martin Beer (Head
Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut) Prof.
Dr. Thomas C. Mettenleiter (President, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut)]
--
PD Dr. Martin Beer
Head Institute of Diagnostic Virology
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut
Am Suedufer 10
17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems
Germany
<
Martin.Beer@fli.bund.de>
******
[2]
Date: Thu 30 Aug 2007
From: Peter Petermann <
PPeterman@aol.com>
Re: AVIAN INFLUENZA (147): GERMANY (BAVARIA) ducklings
-----------------------------------------------
The information that contaminated straw was the source of the virus
is based on speculation and not on any analytical data, as an
official has admitted recently.
It is embarrassing that epidemiological investigations in Europe are
routinely concluded with mere speculation about the causes of the outbreak.
The repeated outbreaks in poultry in central Europe (Hungary/Czech
Republic/Bavaria), completely independent in space and time from any
wild bird movements, indicates that the virus is continuing to
circulate inside the local poultry industry.
Considering that poultry manure is still widely traded and used as
highly valuable fertilizer in agriculture and pisciculture, the
sporadic outbreaks among wild water birds are no surprise. Their
coincidence with rainstorm events, which enhance the transport of
contaminated poultry manure from fields to water bodies, clearly
indicates the route of the virus. So far, fortunately, these
outbreaks have remained strictly limited in space and time and did
not spread among wildlife.
The spreading of the virus from this region to England with poultry
meat transports and to Kuwait by falconry birds (probably exported
from the Czech Republic) earlier this year [2007] are very alarming
signs. It is more than overdue that EU authorities start to
investigate the reservoirs and routes of the virus inside the local
poultry industry in Central Europe, as the national authorities seem
to be determined to divert the attention from the real problem rather
than trying to resolve it, using wild birds as convenient scapegoats.
--
Dr. Peter Petermann
<
PPeterman@aol.com>
[We share Dr Petermann's remark re straw; as a matter of fact, the
need for evidence of straw involvement was expressed in ProMED post
20070827.2812. In a previous communication, Dr Petermann argued that
"putting all blame on migratory wild birds while consistently failing
to produce any hard evidence is more and more appearing as a cover-up
to protect the interests of vaccine producers" (see ProMED post
20061221.3579). While (uncontrolled) movements of domestic and
captive animals, contaminated products and materials, as well as the
use of unlicensed vaccines deserve to be decisively addressed, wild
birds are neither scapegoats nor villains. They just happen to play a
significant role in the epidemiology of H5N1, the extent of which,
the relevant distances, and the species involved, are still "under
study" (which deserves to be enhanced). This is also apparent from
the sequence analysis presented in item [1] above.
The possible spread of H5N1 by migratory birds was studied in a
recent paper by Ducatez et al. (2007): Molecular and antigenic
evolution and geographical spread of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian
influenza viruses in western Africa; Journal of General Virology, 88,
2297-2306. Abstract available online at:
<
http://jgv.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/88/8/2297>.
One of the authors' conclusions was that the geographical origin of
West African HPAI H5N1 was not Southeast Asia but the central
Asian/European region and that sub-lineages of the virus seemed to
have followed the east African/west Asian and Black Sea/Mediterranean
flyways of migratory birds; see ProMED post
20070729.2432. - Mod.AS]
[see also:
Avian influenza (147): Germany (Bavaria)
20070827.2812
Avian influenza (134): African sublineages
20070729.2432
Avian influenza (127): Germany (multistate), wild birds, OIE
20070710.2194
Avian influenza, poultry vs migratory birds (30): Germany
20070811.2612
2006
----
Avian influenza (220): Nigeria, China, S. Korea, Viet Nam
20061221.3579]
..................................................arn/msp/jw
