H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

[Reeves]

H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

Sat Aug 12, 2006 11:55 PM BST

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=worldNews&storyID=2006-08-12T225457Z_01_MIK280312_RTRUKOC_0_UK-BIRDFLU-DUTCH.xml


AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Two young owls which died in a zoo in Rotterdam are suspected of having the H5N1 bird flu virus, the Dutch farm ministry said late on Saturday.
The Netherlands, Europe's second biggest poultry producer after France, has never reported a case of the highly pathogenic avian flu strain which is endemic in parts of Asia and has spread to birds in a number of European Union countries.
A ministry spokeswoman said further tests were being conducted, but it was suspected that the birds died of a highly pathogenic strain of the virus. Final test results are due in the coming days.
The H5N1 virus has spread rapidly from late 2003 from Asia to Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The virus can occasionally infect people and has killed 138 people over the past three years, according to figures from the World Health Organisation.


No other dead birds have been found, and authorities are currently testing other birds in the zoological garden, most of which were vaccinated, the spokeswoman said.
The Netherlands found a low-pathogenic H7 bird flu strain at a farm earlier this month, prompting five countries to ban imports of Dutch poultry.
The Dutch suffered a devastating outbreak of an H7N7 avian flu strain in 2003 that led to the culling of about a third of the poultry flock, some 30 million birds.

 

[Sharpe]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

Old article from December below. They don't say it specifically, but it's pretty obvious that those owls were vaccinated. Doesn't seem like this imported Chinese vaccine is any good against these latest H5N1 strains. Anyway, will be interesting to see what else goes on at this zoo.


Zoo vaccinates its birds against bird flu

CHAO: A zoo in the Netherlands has been granted permission to vaccinate it's animalls against bird flu, leading the way for zoos worldwide to follow suit. The fifteen Netherlands zoos to vaccinate thus far consider it a prudent precautionary measure, and not a response to an immineant threat.

STORY: Rotterdam's "Blijdorp" Zoo vaccinated its birds against

bird flu on Tuesday (December 13), the first Zoo in the European Union to

vaccinate preventively its birds against a possible avian influenza outbreak,

suspected to happen in early spring, when migrating birds come back from

Africa.

[Wim Schaftenaar, veterinarian]:

"Today we have started to vaccinate our birds against avian

influenza. There is no avian influenza in the Netherlands at this time, but we

expect that in spring the migrating birds might bring it from Africa. In order

to protect our animals we vaccinate now, we will repeat, we give a booster

after six weeks, so if it happens that the virus comes to the Netherlands,

then we can just keep the animals as they are, we don't have to keep them

indoors."

Fifteen Zoos in the Netherlands got permission from the EU to vaccinate

their animals against bird flu, although the virus has not reached Holland.

Budapest's Zoo is preparing to vaccinate its animals as well.

Vaccinating chickens against avian flu can prevent a major outbreak of

the disease by preventing birds from passing on the virus, Dutch scientists

said in a study published in late November.

The H5N1 strain is endemic in poultry in parts of Asia and has killed

more than 60 people. Experts fear the virus could mutate into a form passed

easily from person to person, sparking a pandemic in which millions could die.

The Netherlands was hit by a H7N7 outbreak in 2003, which led to one

human death and wiped out a third of the flock in one of the world's leading

poultry exporting countries.

 

[Delta]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

Today flyers have been handed out at the zoo to assure people there is no risk for visitors. Workers wear protective clothing and masks and are given Tamiflu.
A reaction to a newspaper article stated that a visitor that went there today found the area with the owls off limits. Apparently a section of the zoo was closed to this visitor.
The birds were born in may, got ill on the 27th of july and died the 9th of august. They flyer stated that the incubation time is 7 days and none of the personnel at the zoo have reported ill.

 

[Delta]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

I hope i got this wrong, the workers are walking around in PPE and handing out flyers to visitors that all is ok?

The workers in the Avian section that is. Sorry, should have specified that.
Bad enough as it is really, because now there are heated debates about the culling or not culling of the Avian section. People wonder if the choice to leave the zoo open to the public is because of economical reasons.

The authorities here in the person of Ab Osterhaus, a famous virologist, state that all animals are inoculated and there is no danger to humans.
Yesterday a special toll free phonenr had opened for information about the flu in the zoo. I called it now and it's been closed. Further info can be received at the GGD (health authorities) in Rotterdam.
I meant to ask if all animals are protected why do the workers need protective clothing in the Avian section. The other question would have been if they can say how the owls have been infected.
The GGD had not much to say except read from a protocol-sheet that just had been handed to the gentlemen. The spokeswoman of the zoo has been quite helpful on the telephone just now.
Apparently all birds have been inoculated last novemeber. These owls were born after that so due to the right age for new inoculations, they were not protected. They had been housed in "open" cages where a passing bird could land on top or drop excrements.
So chances of any fowl getting in touch with an infected animal are possible. Still the cause of death has not been 100% confirmed but we expect news about that any moment.
Workers in the Avian section have received protective measures such as Tamiflu and masks. Also the vets and other animal medical personnel involved have received protective measures. All in all, nothing out of the ordinairy. It is ofcourse to be expected that since most countries around us have encountered H5N1, the Netherlands would get its share too.
It does stand to reason that with the coming migration of birds this next few months we will see an increase of these incidents. Fortunately we have the means and technology to handle cases pronto.

 

[Snowy Owl]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

That reminds me of The Thailand Zoo quite some time ago.

French visitors from La Réunion where put into isolation and suspected of having been infected by H5N1 in the Zoo in Thaïland.

There is a problem now concerning the Zoos. Anyone knows of a Fédération or association of Zoos ???

 

[Sonny]

European Zoos 21 November 2005:

European Zoos 21 November 2005:

Vaccination of birds in zoos
http://www.avian-influenza.com/Control/vaccination_zoos.asp


Intervet to support European Zoos Boxmeer, 21 November 2005 -

In October the European Commission published a decision permitting the vaccination of zoo birds against bird flu, under certain conditions. The Dutch Government received EU approval on 14 November 2005 for a vaccination program in Dutch zoos.

Intervet has pledged support to the European zoos by offering to supply bird flu vaccine free of charge. Considering the important role zoos have to play in conservation and education the decision of the European Commission to allow vaccination is welcomed; paving the way for zoos to start actively protecting their often valuable and rare bird collections against avian influenza. In the recent past Intervet has been approached by a number of zoos requesting further information on the merits of vaccination.

By providing a suitable vaccine (Nobilis Influenza H5N2) free of charge Intervet is in a position to support all registered European zoos, with EU approval to vaccinate against bird flu. Intervet’s H7 vaccine was previously used in a vaccination program for Dutch zoos in 2003. Intervet’s vaccine against the present bird flu virus has been used extensively and very successfully for a number of years in Hong Kong as part of an official government avian influenza control program.

The Hong Kong experience and additional information gathered from transmission studies show that vaccination can block virus circulation. However vaccination will only contribute to bird flu eradication if supported by an overall control program. Intervet’s bird flu vaccine is being used in a number of countries affected by the current H5 outbreak. Intervet routinely produces avian influenza vaccines, which protect against the H5, H7 and H9 bird flu strains (Intervet vaccine strains: H5N2, H5N6, H7N1, H7N7 and H9N2).

 

[Sonny]

Netherlands 2003 H7N7
http://www.avian-influenza.com/Control/vaccination_zoos.asp

When the area of the avian influenza outbreak threatened to encroach on Dutch zoos, the Dutch Federation of Zoos
requested permission from the European Commission for preventive vaccination of zoo birds.

The European Commission granted permission. See details of Directive.
Strict conditions were required:

* collection of blood before and after vaccination
* registration of all vaccinated birds
* a specific standstill of vaccinated animals and products of vaccinated animals.

Birds in 10 zoos from the Netherlands were vaccinated with an inactivated, adjuvanted H7N1 virus vaccine.
The difference in the neuraminidase (N1 in the vaccine strain instead of N7 in the field strain) made it possible to distinguish vaccinated birds from infected birds.

Reference article

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H7N7): vaccination of zoo birds and transmission to non-poultry species
Joost DW Philippa, Vincent J Munster, Hester van Bolhuis, Theo M Bestebroer, Willem Schaftenaar, Walter EP Beyer, et al.
JVAC 5667 1-8

Abstract:
In 2003 an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H7N7) struck poultry in the Netherlands. A European Commission directive (Commission Decision 2003/291/EC of 25 April 2003) made vaccination of valuable species in zoo collections possible under strict conditions. We determined pre- and post-vaccination antibody titres in 211 birds by haemagglutination inhibition test as a measure of vaccine efficacy. After booster vaccination, 81.5 per cent of vaccinated birds developed a titre of 40, while overall geometric mean titre (GMT) was 190 (95 per cent confidence interval: 144 to 251). Birds of the orders Anseriformes, Galliformes and Phoenicopteriformes showed higher GMT and larger percentages developed titres 40 than those of the other orders. Antibody response decreased with increasing mean body weight in birds 1.5 kg body weight. In the vicinity of the outbreak, H7N7 was detected by RT-PCR in wild species (mallards and mute swans) kept in captivity together with infected poultry, illustrating the potential threat of transmission from poultry into other avian species, and the importance of protecting valuable avian species by means of vaccination.

 

[hawkeye]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

Thanks for the half-answer.

Two dead owls at Dutch zoo probably not infected with bird flu

THE HAGUE (AFP) - Two owls found dead at Rotterdam zoo earlier this month were probably not infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu as initially suspected, the Dutch agriculture ministry has said.

The deadly virus was suspected when the birds died on August 12 and tests were carried out.

Unlike most of the birds at the zoo in the southern port town, the owls had not been vaccinated against the bird flu.

"Initial test results show that the two owls did not die of H5N1," a ministry spokeswoman said on Monday.

Definitive results are expected on Friday and security measures implemented to contain any spread of the virus will only be lifted with the full results are known, she added.

At the beginning of the month a mild form of the H7N7 strain of bird flu was found on a Dutch farm. About 25,000 chickens were culled as a precautionary measure.

Russia on Monday imposed an embargo of fowl imports from the Netherlands to prevent any contamination.

In 2003 the Netherlands was hit hard by an epidemic of a stronger H7N7 strain which led to the cull of 25 million birds, about one quarter of the country's poultry population at the time. One veterinarian died.

According to the World Health Organisation, 239 people have been infected with the virulent H5N1 strain of the virus and 140 have died.

 

[Siamese]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>Two dead owls at Dutch zoo probably not infected with bird flu
2 hours, 1 minute ago



Two owls found dead at Rotterdam zoo earlier this month were probably not infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu as initially suspected, the Dutch agriculture ministry has said.

The deadly virus was suspected when the birds died on August 12 and tests were carried out.

Unlike most of the birds at the zoo in the southern port town, the owls had not been vaccinated against the bird flu.

"Initial test results show that the two owls did not die of H5N1," a ministry spokeswoman said on Monday.

Definitive results are expected on Friday and security measures implemented to contain any spread of the virus will only be lifted with the full results are known, she added.

At the beginning of the month a mild form of the H7N7 strain of bird flu was found on a Dutch farm. About 25,000 chickens were culled as a precautionary measure.

Russia on Monday imposed an embargo of fowl imports from the Netherlands to prevent any contamination.

In 2003 the Netherlands was hit hard by an epidemic of a stronger H7N7 strain which led to the cull of 25 million birds, about one quarter of the country's poultry population at the time. One veterinarian died.

According to the World Health Organisation, 239 people have been infected with the virulent H5N1 strain of the virus and 140 have died.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060821/hl_afp/healthflunetherlands
_________________</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Delta]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

Hey, that's interesting. At the news here yesterday they stated that the owls DID have H5N1 but there was no danger to the general public. Definite results are awaited friday. Will report in back then.

 

[ukcz]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

Dutch rule out bird flu as killer of owls at zoo
Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:13 PM

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch Agriculture Ministry on Friday ruled out highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu as the cause of the death of two owls at Rotterdam zoo after receiving final test results.

The owls, which died earlier this month, had not been vaccinated against bird flu because they were too young.

Scientists testing other birds at the zoo found no traces of bird flu, the ministry said.

The Netherlands, Europe's second biggest poultry producer after France, has yet to detect H5N1, found in several other European Union countries, in commercial poultry.

But earlier this week the ministry ordered farmers to keep their poultry indoors from September 1 to protect flocks from the threat of avian flu from migrating birds.

Scientists have suggested that migratory birds play an important role in the spread of the H5N1 virus, which originated in Asia and has killed 141 people worldwide so far.

Earlier this month, the Netherlands found a low-pathogenic H7N7 bird flu strain at a farm. Authorities culled all the 25,000 chickens at the infected farm and temporarily sealed off another 130 farms for testing to prevent a major outbreak.

Five countries -- Russia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong -- banned imports of Dutch poultry and poultry products, even though Dutch authorities said all tests were negative and that the situation was under control.

Officials have said that the detected H7N7 strain is less dangerous than the one that hit the Netherlands in 2003 and was not a threat to human health but measures were still needed as it might mutate into a more aggressive form.

The Netherlands suffered a devastating outbreak of an H7N7 avian flu strain in 2003 that led to the culling of 30 million birds, about a third of the poultry flock.

The ministry said farmers who had vaccinated their poultry against bird flu could still keep the birds outdoors after Sept 1.

The government launched a vaccination campaign earlier this year to reduce the risk of the disease.

But most farmers preferred not to vaccinate as they feared that importing countries would refuse to buy their meat and eggs because of consumer worries about possible health risks.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=globalNews&storyid=2006-08-25T174610Z_01_L25765514_RTRUKOC_0_US-BIRDFLU-DUTCH-OWLS.xml&src=rss

 

[Delta]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

Fortunately the owls didn't have H5N1. They are unsure what they animals died off but at least it wasn't Avian Flu.
Strangely enough the general public seems largely uninterested in the entire matter.

 

[hawkeye]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

The Netherlands, Europe's second biggest poultry producer after France, has yet to detect H5N1, found in several other European Union countries, in commercial poultry.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=globalNews&storyid=2006-08-25T174610Z_01_L25765514_RTRUKOC_0_US-BIRDFLU-DUTCH-OWLS.xml&src=rss

What an interesting statement...and it seems so out of place to the rest of the article.

 

[ukcz]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

I thought so too, which is why I highlighted it. It's almost as if Reuters are suggesting that the two are related in some way.

 

[Delta]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

I'm not one for great conspiricies, cover ups and tin foil hats. The statement IS however a tad suggestive innit?
Couple of years ago the poultry business was hit so hard, many farmers went bankrupt and the suicide rates amongst them rocketed. I have a hard time figuring out why countries around us have detected H5N1 within their borders and we haven't. We must be extremely fortunate.

 

[X-fingers]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

And i guess we are lucky because quite a lot of testing is being done and results are reported - the recent lpai h7n7. I think dutch policy has always been to be clear about these outbreaks.

A lot probably depends on the concentration of virus anyway and whatever was in these owls was not present in high enough numbers:

ProMed:
The initial suspicion of H5N1 was raised at the beginning of August 2006,
following tests which were carried out within the avian influenza
surveillance undertaken by the Wild Life Health Centre (Erasmus MC
Rotterdam/Utrecht University). Further investigations at the Lelystad
Laboratory [The Central Institute for Animal Disease Control, CIDC]
confirmed the above initial suspicion. However, the investigators have not
been able to isolate the virus.

Not been able to isolate doesn't mean it's not present - but a zoo woul'dve been a strange place for it to pop up first.

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:78987::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,34186

Then again: h5n1 has some affinity for visiting zoo's...

 

[FluBossie]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[According to the information released by the Blijdorp zoo in Rotterdam
(see archived post 20060814.2276), there were 4 AI suspected birds, all
deceased or culled. They were young Northern Hawk Owls [_Surnia ulula_,
picture at
<http://www.schmoker.org/BirdPics/Photos/Owls/NOHO58.jpg>]
born in May 2006 after the last vaccination of the zoo animals. The 1st 3
animals had their initial clinical signs on 27 Jul 2006, 31 Jul 2006 and 7
Aug 2006, respectively. These birds died on 9 Aug 2006, triggering the
investigation. On 10 Aug 2006, the 4th bird got sick.

The current news release mentions investigations in 2 birds. Results
pertaining to tests (if carried out) of the other 2 allegedly involved
birds and the postulated cause of death of all 4 if H5N1 is excluded will
be helpful in the final accomplishment of the investigation of this unusual
event. - Mod.AS]

X-fingers

Not been able to isolate doesn't mean it's not present - but a zoo woul'dve been a strange place for it to pop up first.


I think you?re right X-fingers

This is my personal opinion. (but I?m not an expert or virologist)
The investigators found in the first place peaces of H5N1 in the 2 dead owls but afterwards it seems to show only dead or inactive virus witch they could not isolate. (That is logic because you can only isolate live virus).
Now I have the idea that the 4 young Northern Hawk owls were infected with the vaccine-virus. The other birds in the Zoo who were inoculated with the vaccine from Intervet had probably the ability to shed out a little bit of that dead or inactive virus.
But if I remembered well Intervet did use (Nobilis Influenza H5N2) for this vaccine, so I think the investigators must have seen that. I don?t know how difficult this is to see.
Maybe this is a stupid idea, but I?m breaking my brain on this.:banghead: I hope the investigators will find this out in the allegedly involved two dead owls. And then its suggests also that
there was no danger for other animals or humans.
Maybe the owls have had an ordinary secondary infection.

Can somebody satisfy me and give me answers to those stupid questions?

 

[FluBossie]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

Response to "Avian influenza (186) - Netherlands, H5N1: NOT, RFI"
-----------------------------------------------
We hereby respond to the request for information in the recent post (Avian
influenza (186) - Netherlands, H5N1: NOT, RFI) about suspected H5N1 virus
infection in northern hawk owls (_Surnia ulula_) from Rotterdam Zoo.

In total, 4 hawk owls were examined. As reported previously (Avian
influenza (186) - Netherlands, H5N1: NOT, RFI), 2 of these birds (birds 2
and 3), which died with neurological signs, were initially suspected of
infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus of the subtype H5N1,
but no influenza virus could be isolated from their tissues. Tissues of the
2 other birds (birds 1 and 4), which also showed neurological signs and
were euthanized, tested negative in PCRs for the influenza virus matrix
gene and for subtype H5 of the hemagglutinin gene, and no further
virological tests were performed.

Based on histopathology and bacteriology, bird 3 had a meningo-encephalitis
and septicemia due to _Escherichia coli_ infection. Bird 2 had an
encephalitis of unknown origin.

The cause of neurological disease in the remaining 3 birds is still open.
The tissues of birds 2 and 3 tested negative in PCRs for Newcastle disease
virus, paramyxovirus, and West Nile virus. Further tests are ongoing and
will be reported if a diagnosis is made.

An extensive epidemiological investigation was started in the zoo. In
throat and cloaca swabs of 72 birds that were looked after by the same
animal care takers as the PCR-positive owls all tested negative by PCR. In
addition, sera of 50 non-vaccinated birds housed in the same cages tested
negative in the hemagglutination inhibition test against H5N1 antigen.

Joost Philippa(1), Ron Fouchier(1), Francis Balk(2), Hans Kramps(2), Guus
Koch(2), Thijs Kuiken(1), Ab Osterhaus(1). (1) Department of Virology
Eramus MC, Rotterdam (2) Central institute of animal disease control
(CIDC-Lelystad), Wageningen UR.

http://www.promedmail.org/

 

[FluBossie]

Re: H5N1 suspected in Rotterdam zoo

http://www.promedmail.org/pls/prome..._BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1000,34230