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News & Reports
News & Reports avian influenza
Wild birds most likely source of UK avian influenza cases INDIRECT contact with infected wild birds was the most likely source of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus that infected a duck breeding premises in Yorkshire last year, according to a report summarising all the epidemiological investigations carried out into the outbreak. The outbreak was confirmed on November 16, 2014, and was caused by the H5N8 strain of avian influenza virus (VR, November 22, 2014, vol 175, pp 495-496). The epidemiological report, which was prepared by the APHA and published on March 12, explains that the virus was the same strain and showed close sequence similarity with a virus causing outbreaks at the same time in Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. It also notes that the same strain was recovered in the same time frame from two healthy wild birds shot in Germany, from the faeces of wild birds in the Netherlands and from a wild bird in the Russian Federation. The HPAI H5N8 strain has caused many outbreaks in poultry in east Asia in the past 12 months and has been isolated from wild and captive birds and a backyard flock in the USA. The report says that, while there is ‘substantial uncertainty’ about the source of the virus for the premises in Yorkshire, ‘all the available evidence suggests that indirect contact with infected wild birds (for example, via their faeces) is the most likely source’. There was evidence that no poultry were brought onto the farm during the likely time of the window for infection; there was no evidence of infection in poultry in the local area; and there was no evidence of a direct industry-related connection to the cases elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world. The time of year that the outbreak occurred in relation to wild bird migratory movements was also taken into account, as was the finding of the same strain in healthy wild birds in other countries. The infected premises were assessed as ‘being likely to be unattractive to wild birds’ and direct contact between wild birds and the farmed ducks was also thought unlikely. However, the report says, the ‘moderate biosecurity’ on the premises, the known presence of the strain in wild birds and the location of the premises on the east
The APHA has published epidemiological reports on the recent outbreaks of avian influenza in England
coast of England in an area where domestic poultry have been identified as being at risk of exposure to avian influenza infection in migratory wild birds, ‘all support a hypothesis that the source was wild bird contamination of personnel, vehicles or other equipment or consumables used on the farm’. Local surveillance in the protection zone and tracings of contacts with the infected premises indicated that there had been no spread of infection. The report concludes: ‘In summary, following extensive investigations, no HPAI infection was found on any other UK premises and this outbreak was limited to a single infected premises.’
Low pathogenic avian influenza
Wild birds are also believed to have been the source of a low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus that affected a broiler breeder chicken premises in Hampshire in February this year (VR, February 7, 2015, vol 176, p 135). The APHA has produced an epidemiological report of this outbreak, which was caused by the H7N7 LPAI strain. In this case, the APHA says, ‘all the available evidence strongly suggests that indirect contact with infected wild birds, as a result of flooding of the poultry housing on January 15, 2015 by water from a neighbouring field known to be frequented by large numbers of wild birds (including gulls, corvids and waterfowl), is the most likely source.’
The infected premises consistently enforced high levels of biosecurity, and the structural integrity of the birds’ shed made direct contact with wild birds unlikely. ‘This supports the hypothesis of indirect contact rather than direct contact with wild birds as could occur during the flooding of the poultry housing from a nearby field frequented by wild birds,’ it says. Both reports, which are available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/ reports-relating-to-recent-cases-of-avianinfluenza-bird-flu, will be used to provide evidence to support the UK’s claim to have controlled the outbreaks and to declare freedom from H5N8 HPAI and H7N7 LPAI to the European Union and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). n The APHA has published an updated UK contingency plan for dealing with outbreaks of exotic notifiable diseases. The plan outlines the way the four administrations of the UK would work together during an outbreak, and describes the roles, responsibilities, structures and communications that would be used to coordinate the response. It complements the individual plans produced by each administration in the UK. It is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/greatbritain-and-northern-ireland-contingencyplan-for-exotic-notifiable-diseases-of-animals doi: 10.1136/vr.h1433 March 21, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 293
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on May 10, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Wild birds most likely source of UK avian influenza cases Veterinary Record 2015 176: 293
doi: 10.1136/vr.h1433 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/176/12/293
These include:
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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
News & Reports avian influenza
Wild birds most likely source of UK avian influenza cases INDIRECT contact with infected wild birds was the most likely source of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus that infected a duck breeding premises in Yorkshire last year, according to a report summarising all the epidemiological investigations carried out into the outbreak. The outbreak was confirmed on November 16, 2014, and was caused by the H5N8 strain of avian influenza virus (VR, November 22, 2014, vol 175, pp 495-496). The epidemiological report, which was prepared by the APHA and published on March 12, explains that the virus was the same strain and showed close sequence similarity with a virus causing outbreaks at the same time in Germany, the Netherlands and Italy. It also notes that the same strain was recovered in the same time frame from two healthy wild birds shot in Germany, from the faeces of wild birds in the Netherlands and from a wild bird in the Russian Federation. The HPAI H5N8 strain has caused many outbreaks in poultry in east Asia in the past 12 months and has been isolated from wild and captive birds and a backyard flock in the USA. The report says that, while there is ‘substantial uncertainty’ about the source of the virus for the premises in Yorkshire, ‘all the available evidence suggests that indirect contact with infected wild birds (for example, via their faeces) is the most likely source’. There was evidence that no poultry were brought onto the farm during the likely time of the window for infection; there was no evidence of infection in poultry in the local area; and there was no evidence of a direct industry-related connection to the cases elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world. The time of year that the outbreak occurred in relation to wild bird migratory movements was also taken into account, as was the finding of the same strain in healthy wild birds in other countries. The infected premises were assessed as ‘being likely to be unattractive to wild birds’ and direct contact between wild birds and the farmed ducks was also thought unlikely. However, the report says, the ‘moderate biosecurity’ on the premises, the known presence of the strain in wild birds and the location of the premises on the east
The APHA has published epidemiological reports on the recent outbreaks of avian influenza in England
coast of England in an area where domestic poultry have been identified as being at risk of exposure to avian influenza infection in migratory wild birds, ‘all support a hypothesis that the source was wild bird contamination of personnel, vehicles or other equipment or consumables used on the farm’. Local surveillance in the protection zone and tracings of contacts with the infected premises indicated that there had been no spread of infection. The report concludes: ‘In summary, following extensive investigations, no HPAI infection was found on any other UK premises and this outbreak was limited to a single infected premises.’
Low pathogenic avian influenza
Wild birds are also believed to have been the source of a low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus that affected a broiler breeder chicken premises in Hampshire in February this year (VR, February 7, 2015, vol 176, p 135). The APHA has produced an epidemiological report of this outbreak, which was caused by the H7N7 LPAI strain. In this case, the APHA says, ‘all the available evidence strongly suggests that indirect contact with infected wild birds, as a result of flooding of the poultry housing on January 15, 2015 by water from a neighbouring field known to be frequented by large numbers of wild birds (including gulls, corvids and waterfowl), is the most likely source.’
The infected premises consistently enforced high levels of biosecurity, and the structural integrity of the birds’ shed made direct contact with wild birds unlikely. ‘This supports the hypothesis of indirect contact rather than direct contact with wild birds as could occur during the flooding of the poultry housing from a nearby field frequented by wild birds,’ it says. Both reports, which are available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/ reports-relating-to-recent-cases-of-avianinfluenza-bird-flu, will be used to provide evidence to support the UK’s claim to have controlled the outbreaks and to declare freedom from H5N8 HPAI and H7N7 LPAI to the European Union and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). n The APHA has published an updated UK contingency plan for dealing with outbreaks of exotic notifiable diseases. The plan outlines the way the four administrations of the UK would work together during an outbreak, and describes the roles, responsibilities, structures and communications that would be used to coordinate the response. It complements the individual plans produced by each administration in the UK. It is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/greatbritain-and-northern-ireland-contingencyplan-for-exotic-notifiable-diseases-of-animals doi: 10.1136/vr.h1433 March 21, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 293
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on May 10, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Wild birds most likely source of UK avian influenza cases Veterinary Record 2015 176: 293
doi: 10.1136/vr.h1433 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/176/12/293
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/
