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News & Reports
avian influenza
HPAI outbreaks continue in France OUTBREAKS of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continue to be reported in poultry in France but the disease risk to the UK has not increased as a result, according to Defra’s International Disease Monitoring (IDM) team. The UK risk level remains at ‘low but heightened’. Outbreaks of avian influenza were first reported in France in November 2015 (VR, December 5, 2015, vol 177, p 557). In its most recent update on the situation, which was published on July 22, the IDM team says that, since its previous update in February (VR, February 27, 2016, vol 178, p 200), several new outbreaks in poultry have been reported following increased surveillance in south-west France. By July 22 there had been 79 outbreaks of HPAI (H5N1, H5N2 and H5N9) and 16 outbreaks of low pathogenic avian influenza (H5N2
158 | Veterinary Record | August 13, 2016
and H5N3). The most recent outbreaks were reported in the week up to July 22, with one outbreak detected in a broiler flock in Dordogne (H5N1 HPAI) and one in a flock of fattening free-range ducks in Aveyron (H5N2 HPAI). Disease control measures were implemented on both premises and the restriction zone established following earlier cases was not changed as a result of the new outbreaks. The IDM team notes that the French eradication plan for avian influenza has come to an end, and that farms are being restocked. It says that the new cases suggest either that disease is still circulating or that viral contamination is still present in certain areas. It reports that, of 100 repopulated farms, 99 had tested negative in a monitoring programme, with the one farm in Aveyron testing positive. ‘It will be
of interest to understand whether the HPAI viruses in these recent outbreaks are closely related to those found in 2015 or if they are new introductions, which seems unlikely, but should not be dismissed until the sequences are known,’ the team says. The IDM team describes the recent outbreaks as a ‘setback for the poultry industry in this region’, but adds that the French authorities have confirmed that the results justify the strict biosecurity measures that have been in place for the past eight months because of the high infection pressure present. The IDM team’s latest update on HPAI in France is available at www. gov.uk/government/collections/ animal-diseases-international-monitoring doi: 10.1136/vr.i4355
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on November 9, 2017 - Published by group.bmj.com
HPAI outbreaks continue in France
Veterinary Record 2016 179: 158
doi: 10.1136/vr.i4355 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/179/7/158
These include:
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Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
News & Reports
avian influenza
HPAI outbreaks continue in France OUTBREAKS of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) continue to be reported in poultry in France but the disease risk to the UK has not increased as a result, according to Defra’s International Disease Monitoring (IDM) team. The UK risk level remains at ‘low but heightened’. Outbreaks of avian influenza were first reported in France in November 2015 (VR, December 5, 2015, vol 177, p 557). In its most recent update on the situation, which was published on July 22, the IDM team says that, since its previous update in February (VR, February 27, 2016, vol 178, p 200), several new outbreaks in poultry have been reported following increased surveillance in south-west France. By July 22 there had been 79 outbreaks of HPAI (H5N1, H5N2 and H5N9) and 16 outbreaks of low pathogenic avian influenza (H5N2
158 | Veterinary Record | August 13, 2016
and H5N3). The most recent outbreaks were reported in the week up to July 22, with one outbreak detected in a broiler flock in Dordogne (H5N1 HPAI) and one in a flock of fattening free-range ducks in Aveyron (H5N2 HPAI). Disease control measures were implemented on both premises and the restriction zone established following earlier cases was not changed as a result of the new outbreaks. The IDM team notes that the French eradication plan for avian influenza has come to an end, and that farms are being restocked. It says that the new cases suggest either that disease is still circulating or that viral contamination is still present in certain areas. It reports that, of 100 repopulated farms, 99 had tested negative in a monitoring programme, with the one farm in Aveyron testing positive. ‘It will be
of interest to understand whether the HPAI viruses in these recent outbreaks are closely related to those found in 2015 or if they are new introductions, which seems unlikely, but should not be dismissed until the sequences are known,’ the team says. The IDM team describes the recent outbreaks as a ‘setback for the poultry industry in this region’, but adds that the French authorities have confirmed that the results justify the strict biosecurity measures that have been in place for the past eight months because of the high infection pressure present. The IDM team’s latest update on HPAI in France is available at www. gov.uk/government/collections/ animal-diseases-international-monitoring doi: 10.1136/vr.i4355
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on November 9, 2017 - Published by group.bmj.com
HPAI outbreaks continue in France
Veterinary Record 2016 179: 158
doi: 10.1136/vr.i4355 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/179/7/158
These include:
Email alerting service
Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
