Spain confirms first case of bird flu

[Theresa42]

Min of Agriculture - virus has "same characteristics" as other isolates from Europe

Min of Agriculture - virus has "same characteristics" as other isolates from Europe

babelfished from Spanish:

Agriculture indicates that the H5N1 found in somormujo is similar to the cases of Europe
July 9, 2006

The Ministry of Agriculture informed today into which the virus of the found bird influenza in somormujo [crested grebe] found died in the humedal of Salburua (Alava) has "the same characteristics" that the causes of the disease in other animals in the north and center of Europe.

To thus it has determined the central laboratory it of veterinary medicine of the Ministry, with seat in Algete (Madrid), that acts like reference in Spain in the matter of bird influenza, indicated the Ministry in an official notice.

The note adds that the laboratory of Algete will send samples of the genetic material of the virus found in somormujo to the Laboratory of Reference of the European Union, located in Waybridge (United Kingdom) so that it resists them with other existing ones in that institution.

http://es.news.yahoo.com/09072006/4...1-hallado-somormujo-similar-casos-europa.html

 

[Theresa42]

More hints on the isolate from Spain...

More hints on the isolate from Spain...

babelfished from Spanish:

The Laboratory of Algete confirms that virus H5N1 detected in Vitoria came from Europe
July 9, 2006

Has characteristics different from which affects to domestic and wild birds of African countries

The virus highly pathogenic H5N1 that has caused the first case of bird influenza in Spain (somormujo [crested grebe] found in the humedal of Salburua, in Vitoria) is similar to the found ones in diverse countries of Europe and it such does not have characteristics that those that affects to domestic and wild birds of African countries. This he is one of the preliminary results of the National Laboratory of Reference of Algete (Madrid), that has concluded part of the work of secuenciaci?n of the chains of amino acids of the virus.

Samples of the infected bird were sent Friday to the laboratory of reference of Weybridge (Great Britain), the same day in which public became the case. This center will have to ratify the findings of Algete and could determine, although he is not safe, if somormujo were infected in Spain by another migratory bird coming from an European country or if, on the contrary, migrated carrying the disease from Central Europe.

The birds tend to incubate the virus during a period of 21 days. Between three and five days later the high mortality takes place. The virus has been transformed itself from the appearance of the first cases into Korea in 2003. It has maintained his main characteristics while it killed more than 150 million birds, but in agreement it has been advancing by all Southeast Asia, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Europe and Africa, some of their characteristics have changed. In Nigeria five chains with characteristics different from the same H5N1 have been located.

http://www.consumer.es/web/es/salud/2006/07/09/153699.php

 

[Theresa42]

Re: Spain confirms first case of bird flu

babelfished from Spanish:

The analyses of the national laboratory confirm that the virus of the bird influenza came from Europe
July 9, 2006

GONZALO ZANZA
MADRID

The virus highly pathogenic H5N1 that has caused the first case of bird influenza in Spain (a found aquatic bird in the humedal of Salbur?a in Vitoria) is similar to the found ones in diverse countries of Europe and it such does not have characteristics that those that affects to domestic and wild birds of African countries. This he is one of the preliminary results of the National Laboratory of Reference of Algete (Madrid), that has concluded part of the work of secuenciaci?n of the chains of amino acids of the virus. The Basque Government maintained, after the first analyses, that the virus came from the south.

Samples of the infected bird (somormujo lavanco [Podiceps cristatus]) were sent Friday to the laboratory of reference of Weybridge (Great Britain), the same day in which public became the first case of influenza of making haste in Spain. This center will have to ratify the findings of Algete and could determine, although he is not safe, if somormujo were infected in our country by another migratory bird coming from an European country or if, on the contrary, migrated carrying the disease from Central Europe.

Transformations from 2003

The birds tend to incubate the virus during a period of 21 days. Between three and five days later the high mortality takes place. The virus has been transformed itself from the appearance of the first cases into Korea in 2003. It has maintained his main characteristics while it killed more than 150 million birds, but in agreement it has been advancing by all Southeast Asia, Russia, Iran, Turkey, Europe and Africa, some of their characteristics have changed. hIn Nigeria five chains with characteristics different from the same H5N1 have been located.

While the executives Basque and central prefer not to risk in pronouncing themselves on the possibilities that they appear more birds infected by the lethal H5N1 in Spain after reaching three continents, the Leasehold Delegation of ?lava became yesterday the first institution in making a valuation of this type. His deputy of Agriculture, Eloy Lopez de Foronda, in a visit to the lagoons of Salbur?a, assured that we were before "an isolated" case, because nine days have passed since was somormujo infected and have not appeared more dead animals.

In declarations to Efe, the leasehold deputy emphasized that the humedal one was a zone described as low risk by the Ministry of Agriculture. Nevertheless, it is not the central Administration the one that proposes the areas of special risk and monitoring, but the autonomies. In the last ministerial order (16 of June) in which specific measures of protection in relation to influenza settle down "to make haste" does not appear no natural space nor subject municipalities of the Basque Country to these initiatives. Yes they appear, by the opposite, those of bordering communities like Cantabria, the Rioja, Castile and Leon or Navarre, thus like of all the rest except Madrid.

Lopez de Foronda lamented the "bad luck" of which the bird influenza "touches to us here". The leasehold deputy announced as well that ?lava will duplicate from today the analytical ones which they practice to the different species from birds that nest in Salbur?a, but not in the rest of the province. Before the confirmation Friday of the first case, the Delegation practiced two weekly controls with an average of five birds each one. Now they will happen to be two but with ten units.

http://www.abc.es/20060709/sociedad...oratorio-nacional-confirman_200607090301.html

 

[sharon sanders]

Protective Measures

Protective Measures

Babelfish -


Jaul? in the zone of risk begins the ' operation. The Ertzaintza and the Mi?ones will watch from morning the surroundings of the vitoriano park of Salburua to prevent the transit of the 170 hens located in the familiar operations near the humedal where the first case of bird influenza of Spain has been detected. The alert went off Friday, when the Ministry of Health confirmed that a wild aquatic bird and without fastening with rings found dead in the zone was contaminated by virus H5N1, the most virulent stock. The institutions insist on which ' human? is no risk for the health, because veterinari? is ' a case. The Alava Delegation has established a control of security in a radius of three kilometers around the center in which the animal appeared dead. One is the denominated ' zone of protecci?n', in which they are including seven towns that agglutinate eleven small farms of birds. Although those hens are in particular houses and they are not commercialized, the authorities have transmitted to its owners two preventive messages. First, that the birds must be totally isolated with meshes or cages. And second, that is prohibited to transfer them to another place. More captures leave the protection perimeter and reach the rest from territori?, according to explained to this newspaper the Alava deputy of Agriculture, Eloy Lopez de Foronda. He himself signed Friday the leasehold order that authorizes this measurement, predicted in the protocol of performance started up. That device establishes a second ring of monitoring that has a radius of 10 kilometers around the rafts. ?lava in addition, ' will redouble ' the analyses of birds in Salburua, from same today, in search of new cases of bird influenza. From the month of April the technicians capture five units the week, in two different takings, through a simple technique. They place cages with food in his interior and the birds enter and a mechanism activates that leaves them catched. Later, after releasing them, the veterinarians send the found excrements to the laboratory of Derio. From now on they will send ten samples every seven days, the double. ' We are going to carry far the precaution, but we are convinced that espor?dic? is a case, remarc? Lopez de Foronda. The deputy of the PP recognized to be ' sorprendid? by the case discovered in ?lava, since ' there were few probabilities that he happened here and now, but these things are imprevisibles'. And it is that the arrival of the bird influenza to Euskadi has taken with the changed foot to the authorities, that in spite of everything were prepared for this moment. In order to begin, the found species died by an individual day 30 in Salburua was somormujo lavanco, instead of a swan or a duck. In addition, the experts do not finish including/understanding that the case has been discovered now, just in half of both migratory movements of the year - spring and autumn, when there is a greater transit of unit -. In case outside little, a third element exists. And it is that the humedal of Salburua was a zone described ' as low riesg? by the Ministry of Agriculture. ' we could almost speak of which this has been a bad question of suert?, it pointed Lopez de Foronda Also it is not known if somormujo emigrated from Africa to ?lava or if it belonged to the group that lives in the rafts of Salburua. The deputy handles the theory that the animal ' was infected by a unit of passage by Vitoria that carried the virus, although that is difficult of demostrar'. It alerts the announcement that Salburua has registered the first case of bird influenza in Spain has shot the restlessness of the natives of Alava. Only yesterday, the Delegation received several calls of citizens who assured to have seen died doves, some of them in Llodio, Montevite or in the neighborhoods of the Puebla de Arganz?n. Jose Ramon Aguirrez?bal, director of the leasehold service of Cattle ranch, absolutely described east phenomenon like ' normal'. The main thing, stressed, is that ' the citizenship must be calm and not to change his h?bitos'.
Fuente: TERRA

 

[Theresa42]

5,300 wild birds tested to date in Andalucia have tested neg for bf

5,300 wild birds tested to date in Andalucia have tested neg for bf

babelfished from Spanish:

The 16,000 analyses of birds made by the Junta on bird influenza offer negative result

The Junta maintains the monitoring in the adjacent municipalities with the humedales in a radius that includes between the 10 and 20 kilometers

Andalusia [southern Spain], 10 of 2006 July - The analyses carried out by the Junta of Andalusia on poultries and wild have thrown a negative result as far as the presence of the virus of the bird influenza in the independent community. The technicians of the autonomic Administration have put under 16,663 birds to control without the presence of the stock H5N1 has been detected, whose first case finishes being in a wild aquatic bird in the Basque Country. The examined birds correspond as much to alive as to deads.

The advisor of the Presidency, Gaspar Zarr?as, that coordinates operative of the Government the Andalusian, emphasized "the intense work that has unfolded the Junta in this period, that has taken to increase the ordinary controls on the birds". Zarr?as emphasized "the absence of cases with presence of the virus like the best news than it is possible to be transmitted the Andalusians to him". The person in charge of Presidency announced that "the Junta of Andalusia will continue maintaining the same rate of work that until now as far as the analyses".

The Council of Agriculture has undertaken 11,363 analyses on poultries, whereas Medio Ambiente has undertaken 5,300 analyses on wild birds. The technicians of Agriculture have gathered more than 3,600 birds than they have been died. The Laboratory of Production and Health Animal of Cordova plays the role of reference for the examination of the samples.

The monitoring of the Junta extends to the adjacent municipalities to the humedales in an operational range that oscillates between the 10 and the 20 kilometers. In addition to these spaces in a hypothetical case that was detected of the virus of the bird influenza in a humedal, identified like zones of special risk, the safety yoke it includes from a first ring of 3 kilometers, identified like zone of risk, to a second of 10 kilometers.

Andalusia has 17 humedales like zones of risk, after the request to the Government the past month of February to the incorporation to the initial map of the Lagoon of Stone Source in Malaga. In Andalusia it was prohibited, to avoid a possible one I infect between wild birds and of corral, the raising of birds outdoors in the adjacent municipalities in 10 kilometers around the humedales.

As far as the sanitary resources the number of professionals of the Network remembered multiply by six Sentry, person in charge to make a pursuit of the ordinary influenza. 128 sanitarios have integrated that device during the period of greater virulence of the human influenza. The Laboratory of Microbiology of the Virgin Hospital of Snows of Granada shows the Maxima technological qualification for the detection of the virus.

The management of the bird influenza in Andalusia rests from October of 2005 in an Executive Committee for the Control, Evaluation and Pursuit of the Influenza Bird under the coordination of the advisor of the Presidency, and integrated by the respective holders of the councils of Agriculture, Medio Ambiente, Health, and Interior.

That composition reproduces as well in a Technical Committee, that capacity gives to the people in charge of the Main directorate of Agrarian Production, Main directorate of Management of Natural Means, Main directorate of Public Health, and Main directorate of Inner Policy. To this organ they have been added recently, to guarantee a greater cooperation at all the levels of the Administration, individual representatives of the Delegation of the Government in Andalusia and the Federation Andalusian of Municipalities and Provinces (FAMP).

http://www.agroinformacion.com/leer-noticia.aspx?not=30989

Andalucia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andalucia

 

[Theresa42]

H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic / other dead birds being tested

H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic / other dead birds being tested

babelfished from Spanish:

Virus H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic
Martes, 11 de julio de 2006

With this confirmation discards that somormujo [crested grebe] dead had contracted the pathogenic agent in Africa, which had increased the danger in all the national territory

SPC-AGENCIAS/MADRID-VITORIA

The stock of the virus H5N1 that killed to somormujo found in a humedal of Vitoria 11 days ago is of European origin and, in particular, very similar to the appeared one in the Czech Republic, according to the Government informed yesterday. The Secretary of State of Communication, Fernando Moraleda, insisted on which he is an isolated case, of strictly veterinary scope, and that the risk of I infect human is "almost null". With the confirmed origin they vanish, at the moment, the worse fears of the experts, who announced that if the H5N1 very possibly came from Africa the disease would have extended by all the national territory.

"Some in the matter of borders does not exist problem, human health or vaccination", emphasized in press conference, after the meeting of the Inter-ministerial Commission for the pursuit of the bird influenza, to add that the human risk has not varied, since the possibility of I infect is practically "null" and the level of pandemic risk has not increased either.

The Inter-ministerial Commission for the pursuit of the bird influenza met yesterday in Moncloa to study the steps to follow after the appearance of the positive in ?lava. At the moment, according to Moraleda explained, is not necessary to increase the controls in customs and, beyond that, the Government decided to study with the regions if now he comes to implement additional measures, in a meeting of the Committee of the National System of Alert - integrated by Ministry of Agriculture, autonomic and expert representatives that will be celebrated tomorrow, with the intention to maintain a cooperation institutional.

Moraleda added that the dead bird has appeared in a while that was not the one of greater risk since not yet it is season of migrations. With respect to the positive case, everything aims at that its origin is European, when being related to the appeared ones in Italy, Greece, Germany, France and, specially, with Czech Republic, "with which it keeps greater similarity", it needed the chief of a main directorate Cattle ranch, Carlos Escribano. The stock is, therefore, "highly pathogenic", like it happens in almost all Europe.

According to the anticipated protocol, around the humedal two foresight protectors of 3 and 10 kilometers have settled down respectively. In any case one is a zone in which are no bird-raising operations, "reason why the risk of transmission to poultries is lower than in others", it added Escribano.

The Delegation of ?lava gathered weekend the past two birds died in the surroundings where he appeared somormujo infected, and it sent them to the laboratory to see if they suffered the disease. This weekend the Delegation altogether gathered 14 birds died in the province.

The birds are of species very varied. See you tomorrow one does not hope that the laboratory makes public the results to know if some of them concluded of influenza.

On the other hand, the minister of Medio.ambiente, Cristina Narbona, maintained that its department will increase the monitoring to make "the best pursuit".

The biochemist and prize Prince of Asturias, Santiago Grisol?a, noticed that this case "surely will not be the unique one" in Spain and aimed that the development of a vaccine supposes "the best weapon".


Question of numbers. The period of incubation of the disease is of 21 days and the Government will hope up to 40 days after the disquieting finding. It is question of numbers. On the possibility that they appeared other positives in the zone, the time of incubation of the disease is of 21 days and does 10 that appeared the died bird, reason why still could take place. The investigation perimeter is of three kilometers, the 18 communities are in alert status and it thinks that up to 14 birds of species different from the dead animal they could be infected with the stock. In 24 hours one will know if it is thus, and if the 500 domestic units near the possible center are more in danger.

The Government decided in addition to redouble that period and to hope up to 40 days from the appearance of the first case. Two possibilities are analyzed: that it appears that positive infected as a result of the first died animal, or that arises another new one coming from a displaced animal but that it would not have to do nothing with somormujo with H5N1 already detected. Until the moment not even it has appeared no other bird died in the place. And more numbers. The laboratory of Algete has analyzed a total of 48,000 samples.


Endemic? The bird influenza "represents a constant threat" and runs the risk of becoming endemic several countries of Africa, where it continues his extension, according to the Organization informed yesterday into Nations United for Agriculture and the Feeding (the FAO).

The attached director of the FAO, David Harcharik, indicated, in a meeting of the Economic and Social Council of the UN (Ecosoc), that the bird influenza has been managed to control in western Europe and Southeast Asia, except in Indonesia, but the epidemic continues propagating in Africa. The bird influenza "represents a constant threat and with all probability we must prepare to us to fight it during years", warned.

In this sense, Harcharik indicated that the disease "still supposes a reason for preoccupation in Indonesia and continues its expansion in with, in where the risk exists of which it becomes endemic in diverse countries", informed the FAO in an official notice. Nevertheless, it mentioned the barriers to apply suitable measures of control, among them the animal sacrifice, the payment of compensations to the farmers and the control on the movements of birds in the African countries.

http://www.diariodeburgos.es/secciones.cfm?id=329779&secc=Sociedad

 

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic / other dead birds being tested

Re: H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic / other dead birds being tested

babelfished from Spanish:

Virus H5N1 detected in Álava comes from Czech Republic
Martes, 11 de julio de 2006

With this confirmation discards that somormujo [crested grebe] dead had contracted the pathogenic agent in Africa, which had increased the danger in all the national territory

SPC-AGENCIAS/MADRID-VITORIA

The stock of the virus H5N1 that killed to somormujo found in a humedal of Vitoria 11 days ago is of European origin and, in particular, very similar to the appeared one in the Czech Republic, according to the Government informed yesterday. . With respect to the positive case, everything aims at that its origin is European, when being related to the appeared ones in Italy, Greece, Germany, France and, specially, with Czech Republic, "with which it keeps greater similarity", it needed the chief of a main directorate Cattle ranch, Carlos Escribano. The stock is, therefore, "highly pathogenic", like it happens in almost all Europe.


http://www.diariodeburgos.es/secciones.cfm?id=329779&secc=Sociedad

The above comment is more utter nonsense. The public sequence of HA from the Czech Republic, <TABLE style="WIDTH: 190pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=253 border=0 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 190pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 9252" width=253><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #d4d0c8; BORDER-TOP: #d4d0c8; BORDER-LEFT: #d4d0c8; WIDTH: 190pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #d4d0c8; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=253 height=17>A/Cygnus olor/Czech Republic/5170/2006</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
is VERY similar to isolates from Egypt and Djibouti, which are likely to also be in West Africa in the East Atlantic Flyway, which links Nigeria to Spain.

 

[Theresa42]

Re: H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic / other dead birds being tested

Re: H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic / other dead birds being tested

The above comment is more utter nonsense. The public sequence of HA from the Czech Republic, is VERY similar to isolates from Egypt and Djibouti, which are likely to also be in West Africa in the East Atlantic Flyway, which links Nigeria to Spain.

Another sequences shell-game then, huh? Nothing up their sleeves....

 

[HenryN]

Re: H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic / other dead birds being tested

Re: H5N1 detected in ?lava comes from Czech Republic / other dead birds being tested

Another sequences shell-game then, huh? Nothing up their sleeves....

The sequences are trickling out and the Qinghai strain is evolving via recombination, but has many potential parental versions.

The recombination will become crystal clear as soon as the sequestered sequences are reelased.

 

[sharon sanders]

Other birds tested from Avala are negative for H5N1

Other birds tested from Avala are negative for H5N1

Babelfish:

The Basque Government has informed into which the analyses practiced to the birds found in the zone of Salburua (Alava) by the Institute of Investigation and Agrarian Development Neiker, to know if they were affected by the H5N1, the most aggressive virus of the aviaria influenza, have been negative.
On the other hand, the general deputy of Alava, Ramon Rabanera, today asked the Alava citizens who the past maintain the "tranquillity" before the appearance Friday of a bird affected by aviaria influenza in the humedales of Salburua since, according to he emphasized, he is "an exclusively veterinary subject of health that he does not affect the humans". In the habitual press conference after the Council of weekly Government, Rabanera affirmed that "there is no newness" on this subject and added, being sent to the appearance of yesterday of the deputy of Agriculture, Eloy Lopez de Foronda, who continues itself fulfilling the protocol demanded by the UE. Also, it indicated that the coordination with the other administrations stays and wanted to transmit "a reassuring message" because "it does not stop being an exclusively veterinary subject of health that it does not affect the humans".
The deputy added that the birds are controlled in the three kilometers that the protocol stipulates. "I return to insist. I am going to take chicken every day that can ", reiterated the maximum leader of the Alava Delegation, that informed into which yesterday the deputy of Agriculture maintained a meeting with the hunters of the province" to those who the situation was explained to them in case this it go to more, than we hope that not ". INSTITUTIONAL COORDINATION Asked for the meeting that will maintain the Commission tomorrow Interinstitutional, insisted on which the protocol will be fulfilled and a "greater transparency to all the events that happen", but "in coordination with the other institutions will occur because it is our responsibility". In this sense, it requested that any type of alarm in the population is not caused ", because it does not have why". "It is certain that I had not liked that this bird had appeared to 4,000 kilometers of distance of Vitoria, but am a distressing thing either", concluded.
http://es.news.yahoo.com/11072006/4/aves-recogidas-alava-estaban-afectadas-virus-gripe-aviar-h5n1.html

 

[Theresa42]

50 other birds tested in in Salburua, ?lava, test neg

50 other birds tested in in Salburua, ?lava, test neg

Related to Florida1's post above ... the number of birds from ?lava that have tested neg is 50 ....

babelfished from Spanish:

Econom?a/Bird flu. - The Basque Government confirms that more than 50 analyses to birds in Salburua they have given negative

It assures that the institutions have acted with "rigor and effectiveness" before the detection of the first case of virus H5N1 in Spain

VITORIA, the 11 (EUROPE PRESS)

Than 50 controls practiced more to wild birds the zone of Salburua (?lava) from the detection of the first case of Spain of virus H5N1, the most virulent variant of the bird influenza, have been negative.

The Basque Government reiterated the call to the "calm" before "the strictly veterinary" character of the problem and defended the "rigor and effectiveness" with which the institutions have acted.

Vicelehendakari of the Basque Government, Idoia Zenarrutzabeitia, affirmed, to its exit of the Council of Government, who the powers public have responded with "seriousness and effectiveness", and of coordinated form to the appearance of the first case of H5N1 of Spain. After emphasizing that than 50 controls the more practiced to wild birds of the zone by the Institute of Investigation and Agrarian Development Neiker they have given negative result, Zenarrutzabeitia reiterated the call to the "calm and the responsibility" of the society before "the strictly veterinary" dimension of the problem.

The number of controls made in Euskadi in which goes of year has surpassed the 750 samples in wild birds, which, according to Zenarrutzabeitia, "exceeds all the European recommendations", that stop 2006 forced to analyze 180 samples.

In the same line, it emphasized that the control on the agricultural operations affects to the 100% of these, "a percentage very superior to the one of any other community", according to said. Zenarrutzabeitia attributed to east degree of evaluation to the "enormous effort" and "amount of resources" used by the implied administrations.

REINFORCEMENT MEASURES.

The measures of reinforcement of the controls decreed from the detection of the virus will stay the time that the protocol establishes, a minimum 21 days in the zone of protection and 30 days in the zone of monitoring.

Zenarrutzabeitia explained that the Commission of Pursuit for the Control of Bird Influencia in Euskadi will continue evaluating the situation "of permanent form".

http://www.invertia.com/noticias/noticia.asp?idnoticia=1578306

 

[Theresa42]

Spanish population Great Crested Grebes is of 2.300-3.400 pairs

Spanish population Great Crested Grebes is of 2.300-3.400 pairs

babelfished from Spanish:

Spanish population Somormujo lavanco is of 2.300-3.400 pairs
July 11, 2006

The national population of somormujo lavanco (Podiceps cristatus, Great Crested Grebe), species of bird that gave to positive in Vitoria the last week of virus of bird influenza H5N1, is considered around 2.300-3.400 pairs distributed by all Iberian Peninsula of more or less dispersed and sedentary way, bound to dams and humid zones.

It is a sedentary bird, although a 22 percent of their population travels by the different European countries with a midrange superior to the 2,000 kilometers.

According to the studies made by the Spanish Society of Ornitologi'a (SEO) it emphasizes his presence in Extremadura, throughout the valley of the Ebro, in Mediterranean coastal humedales and artificial humid zones of the interior and counts in addition on an important nucleus in Andalusia.

This subspecies of somormujo well is distributed by the Pale?rtico, from western Europe to central Asia and the north of Europe where it is the thickness of his cash with a considered population of 320.000-1.300.000 pairs.

Somormujo lavanco well is distributed in Andalusia with very important reproductive populations in Do?ana of between 500 to thousand pairs, based on the degree of flood of the salt marsh.

The frontier population is of most important and stable, since it welcomes in a third of the reproducers of all Spain and it is related to the artificial as much dams as cattle pools or irrigable humedales.

In the censuses made by the SEO between 1991 and 1997 in the average river basins of the Edge and the Guadiana they were registered near 70 pairs of average and reveal that in some localities well-known reductions as in the dam of Plasencia have been registered where a population of 20 pairs registered itself and at the moment nonnidifica.

In Castilla-La Mancha so much in dams as in the lagoons is distributed manchegas where in good years of water they can reproduce up to 250 pairs, without including the National Park of the Tables of Daimiel, the Natural Park of the lagoons of Ruidera, nor some great dams.

The SEO considers for Castile and Leon a 450-600 population pairs of somormujo lavanco, concentrated in the dams of Rosarito and Voltoya in Avila, the of Burgos sector of the dam of the Ebro or the one of San jOse de Duero in Valladolid.

In Arag?n they are considered something more at the moment than 100 pairs, only in total Gallocanta, times of flood, nidificaban up to 30-40 pairs (1998 data).

In the Valencian Community the population is around the 125 pairs with some fluctuations (72 pairs in 1990 and 211 pairs in 1999), with important increases of pairs in the Depth, locality that welcome around the 50 percent of the total of its population, of the lagoon of Valencia, with 50 pairs of average, and Santa Pola, with more than 20 pairs.

In Catalonia pairs are considered 150-200, bases similar to 100-150 pairs of somormujo lavanco with the most important nucleus located in the delta of the Ebro with 80-100 pairs.

In Navarre it is registered basically in the south of the Community with a 40-50 population pairs where its adaptation to the new rafts and dams has favored its distribution.

In the Basque Country, a gradual and well-known increase in Alava is observed, where it has gone of 52 pairs in 1993, until a minimum of 154 pairs in 2001.

In the peninsula other two species of somormujo have been registered, denominated somormujo cuellirojo (Podiceps grisegena, Red-necked Grebe) and somormujo machac?n (Podiceps major, Great Grebe) distributed by different regions from the Iberian Peninsula and that present/display characteristics different from those from lavanco.

http://actualidad.terra.es/articulo/poblacion_somormujo_2300-3400_978174.htm

 

[JJackson]

Re: Spain confirms first case of bird flu

% Homology with Czech sequence. N.B. Nigeria 99.4%

I find it hard to see how you can say it is European rather than African in origin until we see full sequences and, given the low number of sequences, even then.



Seq-> DQ515984
DQ661910 A/chicken/Afghanistan/1207/2006 H5N1 length:1602 96.3%
DQ447199 A/chicken/Egypt/960N3-004/2006 H5N1 length:1673 99.4%
DQ676834 A/chicken/Krasnodar/01/2006 H5N1 length:1754 99.8%
DQ676830 A/chicken/Mahachkala/05/2006 H5N1 length:1683 95.5%
ISDN138756 A/chicken/Malaysia/935/2006 H5N1 length:1721 96.5%
DQ406728 A/chicken/Nigeria/641/2006 H5N1 length:1669 99.4%
DQ515984 A/Cygnus olor/Czech Republic/5170/2006 H5N1 length:1745 ID
DQ435200 A/domestic cat/Iraq/820/2006 H5N1 length:1647 99.6%
ISDN138780 A/duck/Laos/3295/2006 H5N1 length:1719 96.3%
DQ464377 A/Egypt/2782-NAMRU3/2006 H5N1 length:1640 99.2%
ISDN133098 A/Turkey/12/2006 H5N1 length:1659 99.6%
DQ659327 A/Bar headed goose/Qinghai/1A/2005 H5N1 length:1767 98.5%
ISDN121986 A/Cambodia/JP52a/2005 H5N1 length:1707 96.3%
DQ320910 A/chicken/Hunan/999/2005 H5N1 length:1695 96.8%
AM183670 A/chicken/Indonesia/R60/05 H5N1 length:1779 96.3%
ISDN124037 A/Chicken/Viet Nam/NCVD10/2005 H5N1 length:1709 95.9%

 

[Mingus]

Re: Spain confirms first case of bird flu

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19125603.600.html

60 Seconds

* 15 July 2006
* From New Scientist Print Edition. Subscribe and get 4 free issues.

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Basque bird flu

Spain has found its first case of H5N1 flu in a great crested grebe in the Basque country. Since grebes from that area do not migrate and the bird was far from poultry farms, it was probably infected by another wild bird. This suggests the virus was present in birds migrating to Europe in spring, despite the absence of widespread outbreaks.

 

[Mingus]

Re: Spain confirms first case of bird flu

http://www.expatica.com/source/site...d+flu+detected+week+before+authorities+acted+

Bird flu detected week before authorities acted


18 July 2006

MADRID ? The Basque government was told a dead bird may have had deadly bird flu virus a week before it took any action, it was reported on Tuesday.

The authorities did not seal off the area where the bird carrying the H5N1 virus was discovered, according a report on the case.

The report by Neiker laboratory in the Basque Country, which carried out the first test on the remains of a crested grebe which contracted the virus, said the authorities failed to isolate the area ? breaking European Commission guidelines.

Spain's first case of bird flu was detected on 30 June in the wetlands of Salburua in Alava.

The EC protocol states authorities must immediately create a
3km isolation zone and increase testing of other birds in an area of 10km.

The Spanish daily El Pais reported despite the first confirmation bird flu had been discovered, the Basque authorities waited for two other laboratory tests to be carried out before it acted.

The Basque regional government said it was concerned about the reliability of the first tests carried out by Neiker and did not want to alarm the public.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news

 

[stormsailor1981]

Re: Spain confirms first case of bird flu

i hope that they next check out their domestic flocks in the area, as well as their domestic and feral cats.

imho, the cats are the silent vector to humans at this time

 

[Theresa42]

Re: Spain confirms first case of bird flu

bablefished from Spanish:

The PP [Partido Popular/People's Party] denounces the "descoordinaci?n and carelessness" of the Government before the bird influenza
July 20, 2006

ABC

MADRID. The PP accused yesterday the Government of "carelessness, lack of transparency and descoordinaci?n" between the ministries of Agriculture and Health before the presence of bird influenza in Spain. For this reason, it has created a commission with agricultural sanitary people in charge and of the independent communities in which it governs, with the purpose of "palliating" the "incompetencia" that it attributes to the Executive. In addition it will present/display 50 interpellations in the Congress so that the socialist Executive clarifies questions that "are little clear", informs Ep.

The executive secretary of Social Policy and Well-being of the PP, Ana Pastor, denounced, next to the deputy Felix Vadillo, the "lack of coordination" of the Government and the ministries of Health and Agriculture, after detecting virus H5N1 in somormujo [crested grebe] found in Vitoria the 30 of June. The ex-minister considered that "she is not of receipt that has at this point not met both ministries and that the Government remains shut up". Thus, Pastor blamed the Executive of "lack of leadership and transparency", and described his "lazy and incompetent" attitude as.

Risks "by lack of competence"

Pastor indicated that the function of the commission is "to avoid" that the citizens "are put under a risk by lack of competence" of the Executive. Pastor denounced that in the ministerial order on measures of prevention before the virus of the bird influenza there is an annex that includes to the different communities except a the Basque Country. This fact has become a preoccupation for the PP, that is wondered why the humedales [wetlands] of Euskadi are not including when "yes there is risk".

The PP wants to know in addition why still "there is from Agriculture no a plan of specific confinement nor of vaccination animal of birds" and if it is going away on the matter to take some type from measurement. "We want to know what decisions and what think on this subject the Ministry of Agriculture if it is that they are not of vacations", insisted. Pastor also demanded the reasons for which "a detailed protocol does not exist of how to act if a dead bird" and in this line takes shelter, demanded to know "if some type of control to the citizen has been made who gathered somormujo infected".

The minister of Health, Elena Salgado, indicated after the declarations of the people in charge of the PP that are no reasons for the alarm that is tried to create and described as "defocused" the commission that has created. In his opinion, the PP tries "to introduce a notion of risk noncontrolled that does not correspond with the reality". The holder of Agriculture, Elena Espinoza, stressed that "they continue themselves reinforcing the controls" against the bird influenza in the autonomies with marked zones of risk.

http://www.abc.es/20060720/sociedad...rdinacion-dejacion-gobierno_200607200300.html