Re: Officials discuss animal die-off response
Article Last Updated: 10/02/2006 06:10:58 AM PDT
http://www.record-bee.com/local/ci_4422654
Officials discuss animal die-off response
By Cynthia Davis -- Record-Bee staff
LAKEPORT -- The City Council will soon discuss banning any feeding of ducks or waterfowl at Library Park. This comes after another dead duck was found last weekend at Library Park and one of the ducks tested previously by the California Department of Fish and Game has tested positive for H5 avian influenza.
According to officials at the California Department of Fish and Game, further testing is now being done to determine the exact avian influenza subtype.
Alexia Retallack, a California Fish and Game information officer, said that all indications show that this is a low-pathogen strain of bird flu that is not a threat to human health.
"In this particular case, we had a positive hit for avian influenza and the subtype is H5 category," said Retallack.
"There are 16 h types and 9 N types which can mix together into 144 different combinations, most of which are no problem," Retallack added, "So when you get an H5 you send it in for further testing to determine the N type. So far it looks like there is nothing to worry about."
The duck is undergoing further testing at the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, said Retallack. The lab would have notified them if the sub type was N1 or something to be concerned about, she added.
"The most important thing they were able to figure out is that it was low pathogen," said Fish and Game biologist, Patrick Foy.
USGS Office of Communications spokesperson Catherine Puckett said, "So far, in North America, we have not found the virus strain of concern (HPAI or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1) worldwide in any of the thousands of ducks and other birds we have tested. As far as avian influenza is concerned, waterfowl and shorebirds commonly carry avian influenza (mostly strains that are not threatening to human and poultry health), and thus, researchers expect to find different kinds of avian influenza when they conduct tests of live or dead waterfowl."
Given that the avian influenza strain identified in the local duck is low pathogen, it is not to be confused with the bird flu strain causing concern around the globe, called H5N1.
Since it first appeared in Hong Kong in 1997, the H5N1 virus has caused 208 reported cases of human illness, including 115 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. In nearly all cases, the illnesses resulted from extensive, direct contact with infected birds. H5N1 is a bird virus and rarely affects humans. It has spread through parts of Europe, Asia and Africa, but has not yet been found in the Americas.
Bush administration health officials said last March that H5N1 is likely to arrive in this country this year.
The concern locally is how to address duck die-offs and collect dead animals in a timely manner.
Lakeport Acting City Manager Richard Knoll said the city has developed
an internal protocol, titled, "Responding to dead or dying fish, birds, or other animals."
"We are in the early stages of developing a plan to address the human influenza," said Knoll. "I think it's important to understand the potential issues. For me as a lay person I don't fully understand the potential, but some are saying it's not a matter of if, but when."
He added, "Eventually, this will be a regional issue."
Fish and Game biologist Allan Buckman said he is working on a cooperative disease response program for Lake County, the City of Lakeport, and other cities around the county. Buckman said he also has discussed the issue of the potential for disease from domestic waterfowl in Library Park with Knoll.
Buckman said he recommends removal of all domestics, prohibition of the public dumping of birds there and termination of feeding.
In an e-mail sent Thursday to the Record-Bee, Buckman noted, "I am thinking of similar situations where a small feeding zoo' was established near human use areas for people who want to feed such animals, if that remains a local concern. I am pleased they are taking this seriously."
If the ordinance is by the city, said Buckman, then they would administer their own laws. "I am suggesting the same concerns to the county and other cities on other lake front parks, but this needs to be developed as one large coordinated plan."
Retallack reiterated Buckman's statements, saying "Any AI H5N1 high pathogen event will trigger a response from both the federal and state agencies and we would bring in USDA, CA Department of Food and Agriculture, and Health Services. The best thing a community can do is have a plan."
An e-mail sent Sept. 11 from SpiritWild's Sandie Elliott to Buckman said, "If the lab would have listened to me on Aug. 14 when I suspected LPAI (low pathogenic avian influenza) preceding the botulism, we could have done lots of testing. I believe the topic of a program outline is soon to be a subject that the board of supervisors will be demanding." Elliott added, "It's about time."
Lake County Administrator Kelly Cox initiated a meeting to occur next week (and possibly as early as Monday) between his office, Elliott, the County Agricultural Commission, Animal Control and representatives from both the Sheriff and Health Departments to discuss these important issues.
Contact Cynthia Davis at
cdavis@record-bee.com.
