The Flying Dutchman
Inactive
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<B><center>May 24th - Day 1 news take</B></center>
<B><center>AVIAN INFLUENZA, GEESE - CHINA (02)
*********************************
A ProMED-mail post
<A href="http://www.promedmail.org">(LINK)</A>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<A href="http://www.isid.org">(LINK)</A>
[1]
Date: Mon 23 May 2005
From: Christian Griot <A href="christian.griot@ivi.admin.ch">(LINK)</A>
Source: Reuters alert 23 May 2005 [edited]
<A href="http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050523/wl_nm/birdflu_china_dc_1">(LINK)</A>
China rushes in vaccine after deadly bird flu found
------------------------------------
</B></center>
China has rushed more than 3 million doses of bird flu vaccine to a remote western province, after migratory birds were found dead from the H5N1 strain, which can be fatal to humans, state media said on Monday [23 May 2005].
Poultry across Qinghai province, neighboring Tibet and Xinjiang, had become the "target of a compulsory vaccination campaign," the China Daily newspaper said.
Scientists had proved that the virus killed scores of geese in Qinghai in early May 2005, media said this weekend, the 1st report of H5N1 detected in China since last year [2004].
There had been no reports of the virus spreading to humans or domestic fowl in Qinghai, the Beijing News said. The area where the dead geese were found had been sealed off for 10 days. But experts said domestic poultry could also be at risk.
"There is a significant possibility of that, given the fact that wild birds quite often use the same water sources and feeding sources as domestic ducks or domestic geese," said Malik Peiris, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong. "One has to take this risk seriously."
China has been on high alert against bird flu after outbreaks in North Korea and Southeast Asia, which prompted it to tighten quarantine controls at its borders. But Qinghai is far from either border, and there was no immediate explanation as to how wild geese there became infected.
"I think it's sensible to take this outbreak in wild birds quite seriously and enhance surveillance in domestic poultry," Peiris said. "Clearly it shows this virus is still causing problems in this region."
--
Christian Griot
<A href="christian.griot@ivi.admin.ch">(LINK)</A>
[Details on the selected vaccine will be appreciated. Reportedly, the recently developed reverse genetics AI vaccine will render satisfactory protection to ducks and geese (see 20050207.0415, 20050307.0680). - Mod.AS]
******
[2]
Date: Mon 23 May 2005
From: David Melville <david.melville@xtra.co.nz>
<B><center>Bar-headed Geese and H5N1
---------------------------</B></center>
178 geese were reported dead between 4 and 8 May 2005. The species of goose was not reported, however it is very likely to be Bar-headed Goose _Anser indicus_, which breeds on Bird Island in Qinghai Hu (Koko Nur).
Bar-headed Geese breed in Central Asia (mainly China and Mongolia), and most of the population winters in India, with smaller numbers in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, northern Myanmar and southwest China.
Waterfowl populations can be broadly separated into "flyways." These indicate the migration route used during migration and the breeding and wintering areas that the route connects.
Bar-headed Geese which have been banded/ringed at Niao Dao subsequently have been recorded in India (as far west as Karnataka) in the Central Asian Flyway; Cao Hai, Guizhou Province, China in the East Asian Flyway; and Bangladesh, which is in an area where the 2 flyways overlap. There could be potential for future spread of virus between waterfowl populations through mixing on the wintering grounds, thereby facilitating a natural north/west spread of virus through the Central Asian Flyway.
Chinese agriculture officials are quoted as saying that migratory birds may have brought the virus from South East Asia, however it is unclear from the media reports whether the identity of the Qinghai virus has been determined. It is important not to jump to conclusions; c.f. the late 2004
report of H5N1 in a Mallard (_Anas platyrhynchos_) in Siberia [see
20041130.3201].
--
David Melville, Ornithologist
Nelson
New Zealand <david.melville@xtra.co.nz>
******
[3]
Date: Mon 23 May 2005
From: OIE, Animal Health Information Department <A href="information.dept@oie.int">(LINK)</A> Source: OIE Alert message 050523CHN, 23 May 2005 [edited]
Highly pathogenic avian influenza in the People's Republic of China, virus type H5N1 in wild birds
-----------------------------------------------
(Date of previous outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the People's Republic of China reported to the OIE: June 2004 [in poultry]).
Information received on 21 May 2005 from Mr. Jia Youling, Director General, Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing:
Report date: 21 May 2005.
Nature of diagnosis: clinical and laboratory.
Date of initial detection of animal health incident: 4 May 2005.
Estimated date of primary infection: 15 Apr 2005.
Date of laboratory tests: 18 May 2005.
Location of the outbreak: Niannaisuoma village, Quanji town, Gangcha county, Qinqhai province (in the central part of the country). The place is an important rendezvous of migratory birds on one of their Asia-Europe routes.
Description of affected population: migratory birds found dead, including bar-headed goose (_Anser indicus_), great black-headed gull (_Larus ichthyaetus_), brown-headed gull (_Larus brunnicephalus_), ruddy shelduck
(_Tadorna ferruginea_) and great cormorant (_Phalacrocorax carbo_).
Total number of birds found dead: 519.
Laboratory where diagnosis was made: National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory (Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences).
--
OIE Animal Health Information Department
<A href="information.dept@oie.int">(LINK)</A>
[The expedient notification by PR China on this outbreak is a most welcome manifestation of transparency, which deserves to be warmly welcomed.
Clearly, the avian influenza A H5N1 virus strain has been demonstrated (how?) in the affected birds. However, it is rather exceptional of avian influenza causing acute mass mortality involving 5 different species of wild birds simultaneously. Other factors, infectious or otherwise, might be involved and should be ruled out prior to final incrimination of the demonstrated virus strain as the sole causative agent. - Mod.AS]
<B><center>May 24th - Day 1 news take</B></center>
<B><center>AVIAN INFLUENZA, GEESE - CHINA (02)
*********************************
A ProMED-mail post
<A href="http://www.promedmail.org">(LINK)</A>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<A href="http://www.isid.org">(LINK)</A>
[1]
Date: Mon 23 May 2005
From: Christian Griot <A href="christian.griot@ivi.admin.ch">(LINK)</A>
Source: Reuters alert 23 May 2005 [edited]
<A href="http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20050523/wl_nm/birdflu_china_dc_1">(LINK)</A>
China rushes in vaccine after deadly bird flu found
------------------------------------
</B></center>
China has rushed more than 3 million doses of bird flu vaccine to a remote western province, after migratory birds were found dead from the H5N1 strain, which can be fatal to humans, state media said on Monday [23 May 2005].
Poultry across Qinghai province, neighboring Tibet and Xinjiang, had become the "target of a compulsory vaccination campaign," the China Daily newspaper said.
Scientists had proved that the virus killed scores of geese in Qinghai in early May 2005, media said this weekend, the 1st report of H5N1 detected in China since last year [2004].
There had been no reports of the virus spreading to humans or domestic fowl in Qinghai, the Beijing News said. The area where the dead geese were found had been sealed off for 10 days. But experts said domestic poultry could also be at risk.
"There is a significant possibility of that, given the fact that wild birds quite often use the same water sources and feeding sources as domestic ducks or domestic geese," said Malik Peiris, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong. "One has to take this risk seriously."
China has been on high alert against bird flu after outbreaks in North Korea and Southeast Asia, which prompted it to tighten quarantine controls at its borders. But Qinghai is far from either border, and there was no immediate explanation as to how wild geese there became infected.
"I think it's sensible to take this outbreak in wild birds quite seriously and enhance surveillance in domestic poultry," Peiris said. "Clearly it shows this virus is still causing problems in this region."
--
Christian Griot
<A href="christian.griot@ivi.admin.ch">(LINK)</A>
[Details on the selected vaccine will be appreciated. Reportedly, the recently developed reverse genetics AI vaccine will render satisfactory protection to ducks and geese (see 20050207.0415, 20050307.0680). - Mod.AS]
******
[2]
Date: Mon 23 May 2005
From: David Melville <david.melville@xtra.co.nz>
<B><center>Bar-headed Geese and H5N1
---------------------------</B></center>
178 geese were reported dead between 4 and 8 May 2005. The species of goose was not reported, however it is very likely to be Bar-headed Goose _Anser indicus_, which breeds on Bird Island in Qinghai Hu (Koko Nur).
Bar-headed Geese breed in Central Asia (mainly China and Mongolia), and most of the population winters in India, with smaller numbers in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, northern Myanmar and southwest China.
Waterfowl populations can be broadly separated into "flyways." These indicate the migration route used during migration and the breeding and wintering areas that the route connects.
Bar-headed Geese which have been banded/ringed at Niao Dao subsequently have been recorded in India (as far west as Karnataka) in the Central Asian Flyway; Cao Hai, Guizhou Province, China in the East Asian Flyway; and Bangladesh, which is in an area where the 2 flyways overlap. There could be potential for future spread of virus between waterfowl populations through mixing on the wintering grounds, thereby facilitating a natural north/west spread of virus through the Central Asian Flyway.
Chinese agriculture officials are quoted as saying that migratory birds may have brought the virus from South East Asia, however it is unclear from the media reports whether the identity of the Qinghai virus has been determined. It is important not to jump to conclusions; c.f. the late 2004
report of H5N1 in a Mallard (_Anas platyrhynchos_) in Siberia [see
20041130.3201].
--
David Melville, Ornithologist
Nelson
New Zealand <david.melville@xtra.co.nz>
******
[3]
Date: Mon 23 May 2005
From: OIE, Animal Health Information Department <A href="information.dept@oie.int">(LINK)</A> Source: OIE Alert message 050523CHN, 23 May 2005 [edited]
Highly pathogenic avian influenza in the People's Republic of China, virus type H5N1 in wild birds
-----------------------------------------------
(Date of previous outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in the People's Republic of China reported to the OIE: June 2004 [in poultry]).
Information received on 21 May 2005 from Mr. Jia Youling, Director General, Veterinary Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing:
Report date: 21 May 2005.
Nature of diagnosis: clinical and laboratory.
Date of initial detection of animal health incident: 4 May 2005.
Estimated date of primary infection: 15 Apr 2005.
Date of laboratory tests: 18 May 2005.
Location of the outbreak: Niannaisuoma village, Quanji town, Gangcha county, Qinqhai province (in the central part of the country). The place is an important rendezvous of migratory birds on one of their Asia-Europe routes.
Description of affected population: migratory birds found dead, including bar-headed goose (_Anser indicus_), great black-headed gull (_Larus ichthyaetus_), brown-headed gull (_Larus brunnicephalus_), ruddy shelduck
(_Tadorna ferruginea_) and great cormorant (_Phalacrocorax carbo_).
Total number of birds found dead: 519.
Laboratory where diagnosis was made: National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory (Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences).
--
OIE Animal Health Information Department
<A href="information.dept@oie.int">(LINK)</A>
[The expedient notification by PR China on this outbreak is a most welcome manifestation of transparency, which deserves to be warmly welcomed.
Clearly, the avian influenza A H5N1 virus strain has been demonstrated (how?) in the affected birds. However, it is rather exceptional of avian influenza causing acute mass mortality involving 5 different species of wild birds simultaneously. Other factors, infectious or otherwise, might be involved and should be ruled out prior to final incrimination of the demonstrated virus strain as the sole causative agent. - Mod.AS]