Swiss conference: contact between domestic and wild poultry rare

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Source: http://www.news.admin.ch/dokumentation/00002/00015/?lang=fr&msg-id=19280

Google translation:

Conference on Avian Influenza: little contact between wild birds and domestic poultry

Berne, 12.06.2008 - The direct contact between wild ducks and domestic poultry are very rare. This is one of the results presented by researchers at the meeting, "Avian influenza: a better awareness in order to protect" 12 and June 13 in Bregenz. More than 80 researchers from Germany, Austria and Switzerland working in research programs "Constanze" and "Wild birds and avian influenza have an update on the latest developments concerning bird flu.

Researchers at the Station bird Radolfzell of the Institute of ornithology Max Planck observed from October 2007 to January 2008 wild birds that were a stop near Lake Constance in 12 poultry farms. They found that it was always sparrows, finches or black crows, but never wild ducks and other waterfowl. But it is precisely those who are suspected to transmit bird flu to domestic poultry. Researchers are therefore reached the conclusion, based on their observations, that the spread of avian flu through direct contact between wild birds and domestic poultry is rather rare.

Researchers at the Swiss Tropical Institute have chosen another approach. They asked about 4000 holders of poultry if s'introduisaient wild birds in their farms. In almost all farms in the open air, small birds, crows or raptors were observed. Direct contact with waterfowl was seen much more rarely, in 1 operating on approximately 6. Another interesting finding: waterbirds can not penetrate more in the farms located near lakes and ponds than in other farms. Finally, if there are in winter 10 times more water birds on Lake Constance in the summer, contact between wild birds and domestic poultry are not more frequent.

Researchers also presented results on monitoring avian influenza. According to them, the sentinel facilities would be very effective, ducks being reared in nearby lakes and regularly subjected to a sampling. In the three facilities located around Lake Constance, the presence of influenza virus has been demonstrated several times. It was always a low pathogenic agent. However, no virus highly contagious as H5N1n'a never been found.

The research conducted around Lake Constance, namely the two programs "Constanze" and "Birds and bird flu" will continue until 2009. The research findings be used to better protect against bird flu poultry farms around Lake Constance and elsewhere, and collect more advanced knowledge on the role of wild birds in the process of transmission of the virus.

You can find the complete documentation in German of the conference and other information on the project under Constanze www.projekt-constanze.info and on the draft Birds and bird flu 'under-www.wuv bw.de.

"Constanze"

Collaborators from the authorities and research institutes in Germany, Austria and Switzerland participate in the project Constance.

The research is carried out by the institutes following:

* Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), Germany
* Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis IVI, Switzerland
* Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES)
* Swiss Tropical Institute
* Station bird Radolfzell of the Institute of ornithology Max Planck, Germany
* Station bird Sempach
* Federal Veterinary Office, Switzerland

The veterinary authorities of the regions bordering Lake Constance also participate actively in the project "Constanze", which is under the leadership of the Federal Veterinary Office.

Birds and bird flu "

This research programme was launched by the Land Baden-W?rttemberg after the wave of H5N1, which began in spring 2006. The Baden-W?rttemberg is the first and only Land to be endowed with its own research program on avian influenza.

Research institutes participating in the programme:

* Station bird Radolfzell of the Institute of ornithology Max Planck in Germany
* Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, University of Heidelberg
* Institute of Environmental Health and animals, University of Hohenheim
* Experimental Institute of Ecology at the University of Ulm
* Presidency of the Government of Stuttgart, Landesgesundheitsamt, ref. 93 / S3 Hygiene of water
* National Museum of Natural Sciences Stuttgart
* NABU of Baden-W?rttemberg
* Centre NABU bird protection of M?ssingen
* Working Community of Lake Constance
* Community Working Boschert & H?lzinger

The research program of the Land is coordinated by the Ministry of Food and Rural Area.
Information:
Questions about the project "Constanze"

Switzerland: Cathy Maret, Federal Veterinary Office, +41 31 324 04 42
Germany: Sabine Reiser, delegated to the media, Landratsamt Bodenseekreis, +49 7541 204 53 35
Austria: Norbert Greber, Amt der Vorarlberger Landesregierung, Veterin?rabteilung, +43 5574 511 25212

Questions on "Birds and bird flu":

Isabel Kling, Press Service of the Ministry of Food and Rural Area of Baden-W?rttemberg, +49 711 126 2354
Publisher:

Federal Veterinary Office
Internet: http://www.bvet.admin.ch

 

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Re: Swiss conference: contact between domestic and wild poultry rare

Snips translated from the Constanze report:

" Constanze" 1 - Ornithologie
Up to 50 ' 000 board ducks can be counted in the winter at the Bodensee. The Swiss bird control room Sempach wanted to know therefore more exactly, from where the board ducks up the Bodensee come and in which periphery it in the winter move. In addition the researching rated almost 8000 ring finds out made available of the European Beringungszentrale EURING.
Result: The board ducks in Europe come out from the bird flu regions concerned. Also during the winter - outside of the actual bird course - board ducks can put several hundred kilometers back. Thus they could the bird flu in have brought and in Europe spread. In the next months large and small-scale movements are examined by stick ducks with the help of the ring finds of the EURING.

How is the Bodensee over bird flight movements with other regions interlaced? The bird control room Radolfzell at the institute for Max-Planck for Ornithologie researches on several levels: Until November 2007 5 stick ducks, 2 Blessh?hner, became 8 heron ducks,1 piston duck and 1 rust goose equipped with direction-finding transmitters, which permit their localization over satellites. Because of technical problems failed some this transmitter unfortunately soon, others supplied important realizations over small and spacious movements of individual water birds and thus for the risk of a virus displaced person.

Constanze" 2 - Monitoring In first " Constanze" -
Researching the bird control room Radolfzell and cooperating of the veterinary center Thurgau caught year into and around the extra made catch staggered arraysin Kreuzlingen and Radolfzell of 169 water birds. The birds were clinically examined, beringt and released after the withdrawal from dab RPR above again.
Result: With none of the birds also for humans dangerous bird flu virus H5N1 could be proven. In Radolfzell, foot oh and old person Rhine in fenced pond plants besides flight-unable stick ducks are held, which are to indicate us by contact with game birds the occurrence of the bird flu in the area Bodensee promptly. In addition becomethese so-called guard ducks in the 14-Tage rhythm beprobt.
Result: Despite active contact to wild ducks could the bird flu virus of Subtyp H5N1 not to be ever proven. Both the latter and this autumn went the researching of " Constanze"on swan catch, around the infection status of the swans approximately around the Bodenseeto examine. Became the swans after a clinical investigation and Beringung dabbing he and blood tests taken. Subsequently, they were again released.
Result: Neither with the 80 swans from the last autumn still with that approximately 300 An infection with H5N1 was proven to swans of this autumn. The analyzes the blood tests in the laboratories of the Friedrich Loeffler institute (FLI) in Riems, the Austrian agency for health and nourishing security (AGES) inVienna and Institut for virus diseases and immune prophylaxis (IVI) in central houses proved as sophistiated. The tests were originally developed for chickens. Meanwhile the tests function also with swans - the interpretation remains however difficult. It showed up that some the swans with different types of bird flu viruses, surely however not with H5N1, had contact - which types exactly, leaves itself momentarily yet to say. The proven viruses are however for humans not dangerously. In order to receive still more data to game birds, in Switzerland again also ducks are beprobt, which are hunted in the context of the official hunt by hunters. Ducks, which dip Swiss Berufsfischern into the ground nets, are to be beprobt in the future likewise.The FLI in Wusterhausen makes the Bodensee understandable. A data base is to the researching at the disposal, in which all bird flu investigations are registered in the area Bodensee for autumn 2005 - altogether already 3405 data records of 25 different kinds of game bird. Owing to centralization of data approximately around the Bodensee the female scientists can make themselves a uniform picture of this region.

" Constanze" 3 - Diagnostics
The researching of the IVI in central houses develop a blood test, with which at one blow all anti-bodies can be determined against the different bird flu types. The work in addition runs at present.

" Constanze" 4 - Infection attempts
At the IVI in central houses next year (2008) infection studies with pigs are accomplished. These studies are to show whether itself the bird flu virus H5N1 in pigs increased and whether infected pigs can stick on healthy pigs. To experience at the FLI on the island Riems swans infected with H5N1 over, how easily the animals are infected and how long they remain sticking on.