UNCLASSIFIED
Avian Influenza Daily Digest
December 22, 2008 17:00 GMT
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60-Day HPAI H5N1 Outbreak Map
2008 WHO Confirmed Human Cases HPAI H5N1
AI Daily Digest Archive
Article Summaries ...
Quid Novi
Egypt: One New Suspected Case of Avian Influenza
OIE: China Immediate Notification
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Bird flu effect: Over five million birds culled in one year
12/22/08 Zee News--Over five million birds have been culled in five states over the last one year to contain the spread of avian flu, with West Bengal accounting for 83 percent of the birds killed, Parliament was informed on Monday.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Dr. Ramadoss urges states to be on alert after bird flu outbreak
12/22/08 Newstrack--Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday asked all the states to keep close vigil on fresh bird flu outbreak and asked to broaden their preparations and efforts to deal with any crisis.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Indonesia: Resident forum to watch over the city
12/22/08 Jakarta Post--In a bid to involve the public in creating a safe and comfortable Jakarta, the city administration Friday formed a communication forum at both municipality and provincial levels to foster community alertness.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Transmitters fixed on birds
12/22/08 The Hindu--As part of the global fight against Avian flu, transmitters were fitted on migratory birds, particularly geese and duck species, at Koonthankulam bird sanctuary near here. The exercise was carried out to ascertain whether wild birds play an active role in spreading the disease, caused by H5N1 virus.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Indonesia: Struggle over bird flu samples drags on
12/22/08 New Scientist--THE world is still ignorant about how the most feared strain of bird flu is evolving. That's because a meeting to persuade Indonesia - which has had the most cases of human H5N1 flu since 2005 - to share its virus samples ended in disagreement.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Indonesia sees progress on bird flu information sharing
12/21/08 The Penninsula--Indonesia believes progress has been made towards agreeing a new global mechanism to share bird flu samples, although details need to be thrashed out before it will end its boycott, the country?s health minister said.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Taiwan culls 18,000 chickens due to bird flu
12/22/08 VNA--China?s Taiwanese agricultural authorities have slaughtered 18,000 chickens after an outbreak of bird flu, news reports said.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Cambodian survives bird flu infection
12/22/08 Shanghai Daily--A 19-YEAR-OLD Cambodian man has survived the H5N1 bird flu virus which has killed seven other people in the poor Southeast Asian nation since 2005, a health ministry official said yesterday.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Culling Continues in Avian?Flu-hit West Bengal District
12/22/08 Khaleej Times--Over 22,000 poultry birds have been culled since Tuesday in West Bengal?s bird flu-hit Malda district, a state minister said Sunday.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Four culling staff fall ill in India
12/22/08 Asia News.Net--At least four culling personnel were taken ill during culling and mopping operations of bird-flu infected chicken in Malda Saturday evening.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Thailand: Bird flu teams inspect high-risk villages in Uttaradit
12/22/08 Thai News--Officials and volunteers on Sunday inspected Pichai district in the lower northern province of Uttaradit, where poultry farming is important for villager income, to scan for the possible reappearance of the bird flu virus.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Centre reviews bird flu situation, asks states to be prepared
12/22/08 New Kerala--Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today reviewed the Avian Influenza situation in the country following the outbreak of the disease in West Bengal and Assam and asked all the state governments to upgrade preparedness to deal with the bird flu.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Science and Technology
Potential infections of H5N1 and H9N2 avian influenza do exist in Guangdong populations of China
12/22/08 Chinese Journal of Medicine--[send email to request for full text pdf]--Southeast China is one of the sites of influenza origin. During 2003--2004, nine avian influenza outbreaks took place in Guangdong Province. But no human case was reported. To examine the status of potential human infection by human influenza (H1N1, H3N2) and avian influenza (H5N1, H7N7, H9N2) in the avian influenza epidemic area of Guangdong Province, China, we conducted a seroepidemiologic survey in the people of this area from April to June of 2004. METHODS: Three out of 9 H5N1 avian influenza affected poultry areas in Guangdong were randomly selected, and the population living within 3 kilometers of the affected poultries were chosen as the survey subjects. One thousand two hundred and fourteen people were selected from 3 villages at random. Human and avian influenza antibody titers were determined by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test and microneutralization test (MNT). RESULTS: The positive rate of antibody to H5N1 was 3.03% in the occupational exposure group and 2.34% in general citizens group; that of H9N2 was 9.52% in the occupational exposure group and 3.76% in the general citizens group. Moreover one case in the occupational exposure group was positive for H7N7. One year later, all previously positive cases had become negative except for one H5N1-positive case. CONCLUSION: The observations imply that H5N1 and H9N2 avian influenza silent infections exist in Guangdong populations.
AI Research
Clinical characteristics of 26 human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus infection in China
12/22/08 PubMed--[Full Text Link]--While human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus infection continue to increase globally, available clinical data on H5N1 cases are limited. We conducted a retrospective study of 26 confirmed human H5N1 cases identified through surveillance in China from October 2005 through April 2008. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Data were collected from hospital medical records of H5N1 cases and analyzed. The median age was 29 years (range 6-62) and 58% were female. Many H5N1 cases reported fever (92%) and cough (58%) at illness onset, and had lower respiratory findings of tachypnea and dyspnea at admission.
AI Research
Protection of chickens against H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection by live vaccination with infectious laryngotracheitis virus recombinants expressing H5 hemagglutinin and N1 neuraminidase.
12/22/08 Vaccine--Attenuated vaccine strains of the alphaherpesvirus causing infectious laryngotracheitis of chickens (ILTV, gallid herpesvirus 1) can be used for mass application. Previously, we showed that live virus vaccination with recombinant ILTV expressing hemagglutinin of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) protected chickens against ILT and fowl plague caused by HPAIV carrying the corresponding hemagglutinin subtypes [Lüschow D, Werner O, Mettenleiter TC, Fuchs W. Protection of chickens from lethal avian influenza A virus infection by live-virus vaccination with infectious laryngotracheitis virus recombinants expressing the hemagglutinin (H5) gene. Vaccine 2001;19(30):4249-59; Veits J, Lüschow D, Kindermann K, Werner O, Teifke JP, Mettenleiter TC, et al. Deletion of the non-essential UL0 gene of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus leads to attenuation in chickens, and UL0 mutants expressing influenza virus haemagglutinin (H7) protect against ILT and fowl plague. J Gen Virol 2003;84(12):3343-52]. However, protection against H5N1 HPAIV was not satisfactory. Therefore, a newly designed dUTPase-negative ILTV vector was used for rapid insertion of the H5-hemagglutinin, or N1-neuraminidase genes of a recent H5N1 HPAIV isolate. Compared to our previous constructs, protein expression was considerably enhanced by insertion of synthetic introns downstream of the human cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter within the 5'-nontranslated region of the transgenes. Deletion of the viral dUTPase gene did not affect in vitro replication of the ILTV recombinants, but led to sufficient attenuation in vivo. After a single ocular immunization, all chickens developed H5- or N1-specific serum antibodies. Nevertheless, animals immunized with N1-ILTV died after subsequent H5N1 HPAIV challenge, although survival times were prolonged compared to non-vaccinated controls. In contrast, all chickens vaccinated with either H5-ILTV alone, or H5- and N1-ILTV simultaneously, survived without showing any clinical signs. Real-time RT-PCR indicated limited challenge virus replication after vaccination with H5-ILTV only, which was completely blocked after coimmunization with N1-ILTV. Thus, chickens can be protected from H5N1 HPAIV-induced disease by live vaccination with an attenuated hemagglutinin-expressing ILTV recombinant, and efficacy can be further increased by coadministration of an ILTV mutant expressing neuraminidase. Furthermore, chickens vaccinated with ILTV vectors can be easily differentiated from influenza virus-infected animals by the absence of serum antibodies against the AIV nucleoprotein.
Vaccines
First Case of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus in Spain
12/22/08 BMC Vet Research-- Background The H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus has been involved in severe mortality in domestic poultry, and has also been found in different species of wildlife in Europe. The Basque Country avian influenza surveillance program began sample collection and processing the fall of 2005.
AI Research
Risk factors and characteristics of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) post-vaccination outbreaks
12/22/08 Journal of Animal Infection and Epidemiology--Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 is now endemic in South-East Asia but HPAI control methods differ between countries. A widespread HPAI vaccination campaign that started at the end of 2005 in Viet Nam resulted in the cessation of poultry and human cases, but in 2006/2007 severe HPAI outbreaks re-emerged. In this study we investigated the pattern of this first pos-vaccination epidemic in southern Viet Nam identifying a spatio-temporal cluster of outbreak occurrence and estimating spatially smoothed incidence rates of HPAI. Spatial risk factors associated with HPAI occurrence were identified. Medium-level poultry density resulted in an increased outbreak risk (Odds ratio = 5.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6-18.9) but also climate-vegetation factors played an important role: medium-level normalised difference vegetation indices during the rainy season from May to October were associated with higher risk of HPAI outbreaks (OR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.7-8.1), probably because temporal flooding might have provided suitable conditions for the re-emergence of HPAI by expanding the virus distribution in the environment and by enlarging areas of possible contacts between domestic waterfowl and wild birds. On the other hand, several agricultural production factors, such as growing sweet potatoes, increased buffalo density, as well as increased electricity supply were associated with decreased risk of HPAI outbreaks. This illustrates that preventive control measures for HPAI should include a promotion of low-risk agricultural management practices as well as improvement of the infrastructure in village households. Improved HPAI vaccination efforts and coverage should focus on medium poultry density areas and on the pre-monsoon time period.
AI Research
Indigenous sources of 2007?2008 H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks in Thailand
12/20/08 Journal of General Virology--Outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza show strong seasonality. It is not clear where the source of virus originates from in each new outbreak season. This study sought to understand the nature of viral resurgence in recent outbreak seasons in Thailand, where the epidemic is relatively well controlled. In such a situation, indigenous viruses surviving the inter-outbreak season would have to pass through a bottleneck. In order to look for evidence of the bottleneck effect, viral genome sequences from recent outbreaks in the country were analysed. H5N1 avian influenza viruses were isolated from six outbreaks in the rainy season and winter of 2007 through to early 2008. Most of the outbreaks were in the Yom?Nan River basin in the southern part of the northern region of the country.
AI Research
Full Text of Articles follow ...
AI Research
Potential infections of H5N1 and H9N2 avian influenza do exist in Guangdong populations of China
12/22/08 Chinese Journal of Medicine--[send email to request for full text pdf]
Lu CY, Lu JH, Chen WQ, Jiang LF, Tan BY, Ling WH, Zheng BJ, Sui HY.
School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China.
BACKGROUND: Southeast China is one of the sites of influenza origin. During 2003--2004, nine avian influenza outbreaks took place in Guangdong Province. But no human case was reported. To examine the status of potential human infection by human influenza (H1N1, H3N2) and avian influenza (H5N1, H7N7, H9N2) in the avian influenza epidemic area of Guangdong Province, China, we conducted a seroepidemiologic survey in the people of this area from April to June of 2004. METHODS: Three out of 9 H5N1 avian influenza affected poultry areas in Guangdong were randomly selected, and the population living within 3 kilometers of the affected poultries were chosen as the survey subjects. One thousand two hundred and fourteen people were selected from 3 villages at random. Human and avian influenza antibody titers were determined by hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test and microneutralization test (MNT). RESULTS: The positive rate of antibody to H5N1 was 3.03% in the occupational exposure group and 2.34% in general citizens group; that of H9N2 was 9.52% in the occupational exposure group and 3.76% in the general citizens group. Moreover one case in the occupational exposure group was positive for H7N7. One year later, all previously positive cases had become negative except for one H5N1-positive case. CONCLUSION: The observations imply that H5N1 and H9N2 avian influenza silent infections exist in Guangdong populations.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Bird flu effect: Over five million birds culled in one year
12/22/08 Zee News--Over five million birds have been culled in five states over the last one year to contain the spread of avian flu, with West Bengal accounting for 83 percent of the birds killed, Parliament was informed on Monday.
The number of birds killed since December 18, 2007 touched 5.14 million while compensation provided to the people affected by the killing of these birds stood at Rs 14.85 crore, Minister of State for Agriculture Taslimuddin said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Out of the five states that witnessed the spread of the avian flu, West Bengal accounted for the maximum number of bird culling (4.27 million) followed by Assam (0.46 million), Bihar (0.21 million), Tripura (0.19 million) and Jharkhand (0.01 million), the minister said.
Similarly, people in West Bengal, who were affected by the birds culled, were provided the highest compensation of Rs 12.32 crore. Those in Assam received a package of Rs 1.39 crore, Tripura Rs 0.71 crore and Jharkhand Rs 56,000, Taslimuddin said.
Incidentally, Bihar received less amount of assistance at Rs 43 lakh for more number of birds killed (0.21 million) than Tripura, which was sanctioned Rs 71 lakh for 0.19 million birds culled, the House was informed.
The minister pointed out that Bhopal-based High Security Animal Disease laboratory, National Institute of Virology in Pune and Eastern Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Kolkata are engaged in research into the aspects of bird flu.
"The World Bank-funded project on Preparedness, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza provided for an amount of Rs 22 lakh for epidemiological survey," he said.
Culling ends in Malda district
The West Bengal government on Monday said that culling was completed in birdflu-affected Malda district, where it reappeared for the second time, with over 20,000 birds eliminated.
Altogether 27,633 chicken were culled and a compensation of Rs 9.26 lakh was paid to affected poultry farmers, Animal Resources Development Secretary Dilip Chakraborty said here.
This year, no other place than Englishbazar area in Malda district was affected by the H5N1 virus, he said.
He said the Centre and state government should compensate the department Rs 5 crore each for the loss.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Dr. Ramadoss urges states to be on alert after bird flu outbreak
12/22/08 Newstrack--Minister Anbumani Ramadoss on Monday asked all the states to keep close vigil on fresh bird flu outbreak and asked to broaden their preparations and efforts to deal with any crisis.
Speaking at a special review meeting, the Minister expressed concern over the recurrence of bird flu
in Assam and West Bengal, and emphasized a greater need to expand awareness campaign. On the received reports of non-cooperation from locals in the culling operations, Ramadoss appealed the state administration to spread awareness to educate the people to adopt safe practices and cooperate in the culling process.
He assured all the states of full support from Centre to cope with avian influenza and also asked them to utilise this situation in developing a standing infrastructure to tackle its occurrence in future.
During the meeting which was attended by representatives of Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Bihar, and Jharkhand, the Minister was also informed the reason behind the delay in culling operation as farmers were protesting for not getting adequate compensation.
Dr. Ramadoss is also likely to ask Chief Ministers and Health Ministers of different states in written to review the preparation of the various agencies pertaining to animal husbandry and rapid response team.
However, since December 16 there was no case of fresh outbreak were reported so far. The latest report from High Security Animal Disease Laboratory, Bhopal ? where the blood samples of chickens and other birds across the country including West Bengal and Assam had been sent to test ? were found ?negative?.
Despite no fresh cases of avian flu, Tripura and Mizoram- the nearby states of Assam and West Bengal have imposed blanket ban on importing the chickens and other birds from Assam, West Bengal and adjoining Bangladesh. Meanwhile, officials from Orissa have reported to have completed the vaccination
program under which nearby one lakh poultry birds have been vaccinated in eight spotted districts.
AI Research
Clinical characteristics of 26 human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus infection in China
12/22/08 PubMed--[Full Text Link]--
Yu H, Gao Z, Feng Z, Shu Y, Xiang N, Zhou L, Huai Y, Feng L, Peng Z, Li Z, Xu C, Li J, Hu C, Li Q, Xu X, Liu X, Liu Z, Xu L, Chen Y, Luo H, Wei L, Zhang X, Xin J, Guo J, Wang Q, Yuan Z, Zhou L, Zhang K, Zhang W, Yang J, Zhong X, Xia S, Li L, Cheng J, Ma E, He P, Lee SS, Wang Y, Uyeki TM, Yang W.
Office for Disease Control and Emergency Response, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Beijing, China.
BACKGROUND: While human cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus infection continue to increase globally, available clinical data on H5N1 cases are limited. We conducted a retrospective study of 26 confirmed human H5N1 cases identified through surveillance in China from October 2005 through April 2008. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Data were collected from hospital medical records of H5N1 cases and analyzed. The median age was 29 years (range 6-62) and 58% were female. Many H5N1 cases reported fever (92%) and cough (58%) at illness onset, and had lower respiratory findings of tachypnea and dyspnea at admission. All cases progressed rapidly to bilateral pneumonia. Clinical complications included acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS, 81%), cardiac failure (50%), elevated aminotransaminases (43%), and renal dysfunction (17%). Fatal cases had a lower median nadir platelet count (64.5 x 10(9) cells/L vs 93.0 x 10(9) cells/L, p = 0.02), higher median peak lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) level (1982.5 U/L vs 1230.0 U/L, p = 0.001), higher percentage of ARDS (94% [n = 16] vs 56% [n = 5], p = 0.034) and more frequent cardiac failure (71% [n = 12] vs 11% [n = 1], p = 0.011) than nonfatal cases. A higher proportion of patients who received antiviral drugs survived compared to untreated (67% [8/12] vs 7% [1/14], p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The clinical course of Chinese H5N1 cases is characterized by fever and cough initially, with rapid progression to lower respiratory disease. Decreased platelet count, elevated LDH level, ARDS and cardiac failure were associated with fatal outcomes. Clinical management of H5N1 cases should be standardized in China to include early antiviral treatment for suspected H5N1 cases.
Vaccines
Protection of chickens against H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection by live vaccination with infectious laryngotracheitis virus recombinants expressing H5 hemagglutinin and N1 neuraminidase.
12/22/08 Vaccine--ova SP, Veits J, Keil GM, Mettenleiter TC, Fuchs W.
Institute of Molecular Biology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
Attenuated vaccine strains of the alphaherpesvirus causing infectious laryngotracheitis of chickens (ILTV, gallid herpesvirus 1) can be used for mass application. Previously, we showed that live virus vaccination with recombinant ILTV expressing hemagglutinin of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) protected chickens against ILT and fowl plague caused by HPAIV carrying the corresponding hemagglutinin subtypes [Lüschow D, Werner O, Mettenleiter TC, Fuchs W. Protection of chickens from lethal avian influenza A virus infection by live-virus vaccination with infectious laryngotracheitis virus recombinants expressing the hemagglutinin (H5) gene. Vaccine 2001;19(30):4249-59; Veits J, Lüschow D, Kindermann K, Werner O, Teifke JP, Mettenleiter TC, et al. Deletion of the non-essential UL0 gene of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus leads to attenuation in chickens, and UL0 mutants expressing influenza virus haemagglutinin (H7) protect against ILT and fowl plague. J Gen Virol 2003;84(12):3343-52]. However, protection against H5N1 HPAIV was not satisfactory. Therefore, a newly designed dUTPase-negative ILTV vector was used for rapid insertion of the H5-hemagglutinin, or N1-neuraminidase genes of a recent H5N1 HPAIV isolate. Compared to our previous constructs, protein expression was considerably enhanced by insertion of synthetic introns downstream of the human cytomegalovirus immediate-early promoter within the 5'-nontranslated region of the transgenes. Deletion of the viral dUTPase gene did not affect in vitro replication of the ILTV recombinants, but led to sufficient attenuation in vivo. After a single ocular immunization, all chickens developed H5- or N1-specific serum antibodies. Nevertheless, animals immunized with N1-ILTV died after subsequent H5N1 HPAIV challenge, although survival times were prolonged compared to non-vaccinated controls. In contrast, all chickens vaccinated with either H5-ILTV alone, or H5- and N1-ILTV simultaneously, survived without showing any clinical signs. Real-time RT-PCR indicated limited challenge virus replication after vaccination with H5-ILTV only, which was completely blocked after coimmunization with N1-ILTV. Thus, chickens can be protected from H5N1 HPAIV-induced disease by live vaccination with an attenuated hemagglutinin-expressing ILTV recombinant, and efficacy can be further increased by coadministration of an ILTV mutant expressing neuraminidase. Furthermore, chickens vaccinated with ILTV vectors can be easily differentiated from influenza virus-infected animals by the absence of serum antibodies against the AIV nucleoprotein.
PMID: 19041677 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Related Articles
* Deletion of the non-essential UL0 gene of infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) virus leads to attenuation in chickens, and UL0 mutants expressing influenza virus haemagglutinin (H7) protect against ILT and fowl plague. [J Gen Virol. 2003]
Quid Novi
Egypt: One New Suspected Case of Avian Influenza
12/22/08 ARGUS--A national source reported a 4-year-old male suspect avian influenza (AI) case. The boy was hospitalized at the fevers? hospital in Al Minufiyah, where samples were taken and sent to the Cairo central laboratories for testing. All poultry in the child?s household were culled. A health official stated that an emergency room was prepared to respond to any suspected cases of AI in the district.
Article URL(s)
http://www.almasry-alyoum.com/article2.aspx?ArticleID=191512
USDA releases report on animal health
12/22/08 AVMA--The Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently released the 2007 U.S. Animal Health Report, an overview of the health of domestic animals and the status of relevant USDA programs.
The 2007 report starts with a chapter about focus areas central to the mission of APHIS Veterinary Services?including emergency planning and preparedness, surveillance for avian influenza, the National Aquatic Animal Health Plan, the National Animal Identification System, and the National Animal Health Surveillance System.
The report includes a new chapter on diagnostics and veterinary biologics. The chapter describes the missions, functions, and recent accomplishments of the National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Center for Veterinary Biologics, and National Animal Health Laboratory Network.
The rest of the report covers the topics of foreign and emerging animal diseases, programs to eradicate or control disease, monitoring for disease that affects production, an overview of production, international trade, behind-the-scenes programs and tools at Veterinary Services, and collaborations in animal and public health.
The 2007 U.S. Animal Health Report is available on the APHIS Web site at www.aphis.usda.gov/publications.
AI Research
First Case of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus in Spain
12/22/08 BMC Vet Research--
Background
The H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus has been involved in severe mortality in domestic poultry, and has also been found in different species of wildlife in Europe. The Basque Country avian influenza surveillance program began sample collection and processing the fall of 2005.
Results
Here we report the first confirmation of the presence of highly pathogenic H5N1 strain in a Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) found dead in a pond near Vitoria in the Basque Country on the North of Spain. Regarding the survey for generic influenza type A virus, we have obtained positive results in about 8% of more that 3500 birds examined.
Conclusions
We think that the self-limiting nature of our finding and others proves that certain regions have ecological, geographical and climatological features that make it difficult for the H5N1 virus to spread [1] and cause disease at least in the large scale scenario that has been worrying human and animal health authorities during the last years.
AI Research
Risk factors and characteristics of H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) post-vaccination outbreaks
12/22/08 Journal of Animal Infection and Epidemiology--Joerg Henning, Dirk U. Pfeiffer and Le Tri Vu
Received: 06 October 2008; accepted: 10 December 2008; published online 12 December 2008
Abstract - Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus H5N1 is now endemic in South-East Asia but HPAI control methods differ between countries. A widespread HPAI vaccination campaign that started at the end of 2005 in Viet Nam resulted in the cessation of poultry and human cases, but in 2006/2007 severe HPAI outbreaks re-emerged. In this study we investigated the pattern of this first pos-vaccination epidemic in southern Viet Nam identifying a spatio-temporal cluster of outbreak occurrence and estimating spatially smoothed incidence rates of HPAI. Spatial risk factors associated with HPAI occurrence were identified. Medium-level poultry density resulted in an increased outbreak risk (Odds ratio = 5.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6-18.9) but also climate-vegetation factors played an important role: medium-level normalised difference vegetation indices during the rainy season from May to October were associated with higher risk of HPAI outbreaks (OR = 3.7, 95% CI: 1.7-8.1), probably because temporal flooding might have provided suitable conditions for the re-emergence of HPAI by expanding the virus distribution in the environment and by enlarging areas of possible contacts between domestic waterfowl and wild birds. On the other hand, several agricultural production factors, such as growing sweet potatoes, increased buffalo density, as well as increased electricity supply were associated with decreased risk of HPAI outbreaks. This illustrates that preventive control measures for HPAI should include a promotion of low-risk agricultural management practices as well as improvement of the infrastructure in village households. Improved HPAI vaccination efforts and coverage should focus on medium poultry density areas and on the pre-monsoon time period.
AI Research
Indigenous sources of 2007?2008 H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks in Thailand
12/20/08 Journal of General Virology--
Kridsada Chaichoune1, Witthawat Wiriyarat1, Arunee Thitithanyanont2, Rassameepen Phonarknguen1, Ladawan Sariya1, Sarin Suwanpakdee1, Thanom Noimor3, Sunisa Chatsurachai4, Prapat Suriyaphol4, Kumnuan Ungchusak3, Parntep Ratanakorn1, Robert G. Webster5, Mekkla Thompson6, Prasert Auewarakul4 and Pilaipan Puthavathana4
1 Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
2 Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
3 Bureau of Epidemiology, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
4 Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
5 Department of Infectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105-2794, USA
6 Westat Inc., Rockville, MD 20850-3195, USA
Correspondence
Prasert Auewarakul
sipaw@mahidol.ac.th
or
Pilaipan Puthavathana
siput@mahidol.ac.th
Outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza show strong seasonality. It is not clear where the source of virus originates from in each new outbreak season. This study sought to understand the nature of viral resurgence in recent outbreak seasons in Thailand, where the epidemic is relatively well controlled. In such a situation, indigenous viruses surviving the inter-outbreak season would have to pass through a bottleneck. In order to look for evidence of the bottleneck effect, viral genome sequences from recent outbreaks in the country were analysed. H5N1 avian influenza viruses were isolated from six outbreaks in the rainy season and winter of 2007 through to early 2008. Most of the outbreaks were in the Yom?Nan River basin in the southern part of the northern region of the country. Sequences of these viral isolates were identified as clade 1, genotype Z, similar to viruses from previous years in the central region of the country. The sequences clustered into two groups, one of which was closely related to viruses isolated from the same area in July 2006. These analyses indicated that there was a strong bottleneck effect on the virus population and that only a few lineages remained in the area. In addition, evidence of reassortment among these viruses was found. These indicated re-emergence of viruses from a small pool of indigenous sources that had been silently perpetuated over the dry summer months. Therefore, an approach to eradicate H5N1 avian influenza from the area by eliminating these local reservoirs may be feasible and should be seriously considered.
The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession numbers for the avian influenza sequences are EU233413?EU233420, EU497919?EU497921, EU547798?EU547801, EU669187?EU669201, EU676306?EU676321 and EU875388?EU875397; details are available with the online version of this paper.
Quid Novi
OIE: China Immediate Notification
Highly pathogenic avian influenza,
China (People's Rep. of)
Information received on 19/12/2008 from Dr Yu Kangzhen, National Chief Veterinary Officer , Veterinary Bureau , Ministry of Agriculture , Beijing, China (People's Rep. of)
Summary
Report type Immediate notification
Start date 09/12/2008
Date of first confirmation of the event 18/12/2008
Report date 19/12/2008
Date submitted to OIE 19/12/2008
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 07/2008
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to the whole country
New outbreaks
Outbreak 1 Xubei, Xunan, Dongtai, Yancheng, JIANGSU
Date of start of the outbreak 09/12/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Farm
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 160800 0 160800 0
Outbreak 2 Lingdong, Xinghe, Xihu, Hai'an, Nantong, JIANGSU
Date of start of the outbreak 09/12/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Farm
Affected animals
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 216198 0 216198 0
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 2
Total animals affected
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Birds 376998 ** 0 376998 0
Outbreak statistics
Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds ** 0.00% ** 100.00%
* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter
** Not calculated because of missing information
Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
* Unknown or inconclusive
Control measures
Measures applied
* Stamping out
* Quarantine
* Movement control inside the country
* Vaccination in response to the outbreak (s)
Administrative division Species Total Vaccinated Details
JIANGSU Birds 43973002 Reassortant avian influenza virus vaccine, inactivated (Re-4+Re-5)
* Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
* No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied
* No other measures
Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (national reference laboratory for avian influenza) (OIE?s Reference Laboratory)
Tests and results
Species Test Test date Result
Birds haemagglutination inhibition test (HIT) 18/12/2008 Positive
Birds intravenous pathogenicity index (IVPI) test 18/12/2008 Positive
Birds real-time reverse transcriptase/polymerase chain reaction (RRT-PCR) 18/12/2008 Positive
Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.
Map of outbreak locations
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Indonesia: Resident forum to watch over the city
12/22/08 Jakarta Post--In a bid to involve the public in creating a safe and comfortable Jakarta, the city administration Friday formed a communication forum at both municipality and provincial levels to foster community alertness.
Governor Fauzi Bowo said the forum would prepare the community for rapid action as the city set an alert status for flood, bird flu, dengue fever and other disasters.
"It was the public that helped the police unveil drug factories," Fauzi said after inaugurating around 50 forum members at City Hall.
"The ones who really know about an area are the locals. So we need to raise their alertness."
The forum was sanctioned by a 2006 Home Ministry law on community action. The regulation states that the local administration should maintain safety and prepare communities facing both natural and man-made disasters.
The city administration will establish forums at subdistrict and district levels next year. -- JP
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Transmitters fixed on birds
12/22/08 The Hindu--As part of the global fight against Avian flu, transmitters were fitted on migratory birds, particularly geese and duck species, at Koonthankulam bird sanctuary near here. The exercise was carried out to ascertain whether wild birds play an active role in spreading the disease, caused by H5N1 virus.
The exercise was jointly conducted by Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and Bombay Natural History Society with the assistance of locals who caught the birds with noose.
The transmitters, each weighing 30 gm and costing about Rs. 2 lakh, was fitted on the back (between the wings) after taking the physical measurements of the birds and collecting blood samples to check the presence of virus.
?We?ll get signals from the transmitters via satellite and hence its flyways can easily be tracked till it reaches its destination where the bird will be checked for the presence of Avian Influenza,? said By this exercise, we can know whether the winged visitors play a major role in spreading Avian Influenza,? said Scott Newman, Animal Health Officer - Infectious Disease Group, Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations. He said cross-border legal and illegal movement of animal and poultry products were also potential channels for the spread of H5N1 virus.
During his brief stay here, Dr. Scott and Assistant Director of BNHS S. Balachandran, gave an account of the flyways being used by the migratory birds to Department of Animal Husbandry officials.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Indonesia: Struggle over bird flu samples drags on
12/22/08 New Scientist--THE world is still ignorant about how the most feared strain of bird flu is evolving. That's because a meeting to persuade Indonesia - which has had the most cases of human H5N1 flu since 2005 - to share its virus samples ended in disagreement.
These samples are needed to develop vaccines and monitor genetic changes that indicate whether the virus is adapting to spread among people. Indonesia claims that sending samples helps foreigners but not the Indonesians themselves.
At the latest World Health Organization meeting aimed at breaking the impasse, in Geneva last week, countries agreed in principle that virus samples, and the benefits that come with having them, should be shared.The main stumbling block is that pharmaceutical companies, mainly in rich countries, patent and sell vaccines and there is no legal framework for a contract that would share these profits with the countries that provided the samples, nor to guarantee these countries access to a vaccine in a pandemic.
There's no framework to share vaccine profits with countries that supply virus samples
India, Brazil, Nigeria and Iran also charged that rich countries are more interested in sharing viruses than benefits.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Indonesia sees progress on bird flu information sharing
12/21/08 The Penninsula--Indonesia believes progress has been made towards agreeing a new global mechanism to share bird flu samples, although details need to be thrashed out before it will end its boycott, the country?s health minister said.
Indonesia drew international concern when it stopped virus-sharing last year, saying it wanted guarantees from rich nations and drugmakers that poor nations would get access to affordable vaccines derived from their samples. Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari told Reuters late on Friday that the action had helped drive home an understanding of the issues.
?Stopping the virus is to say that I have a strong will to make a new world health mechanism,? said the minister, who is known to be outspoken on the bird flu issue.
?This system is not fair. If the injustice is in the economic system, the impact is poverty, but if the injustice is found in the world health management, then the victim is human lives,? she added in an interview at her central Jakarta offices.
The minister?s comments came amid a seasonal flare up in cases of bird flu globally, including in populous India.
International health experts say it is vital to have access to samples of the constantly mutating H5N1 virus, which they fear could change into a form easily transmissible among humans and sweep the world in months, killing millions of people.
Talks on virus sharing hosted by the WHO last year failed to reach an agreement after Indonesia had insisted on a ?material transfer agreement? for each virus sample sent to foreign labs.
But Supari said a meeting of more than 100 countries last week in Geneva had made some breakthroughs including that benefit sharing would be integrated into material transfer agreements.
The minister said she hoped Indonesia could return to virus sharing ?as soon as possible? but details still had to be pinned down, including on what benefits richer countries might provide.
Indonesia?s negotiator in Geneva Widjaja Lukito said in a statement that benefits could include access to vaccines, vaccine stockpiles, transfer of technology and tiered pricing.
Supari also said that an agreement had been reached on a tracking system to monitor use of the virus samples.
?We have the rights to follow, track where our virus goes. In the old system, if you send your virus you don?t know where the virus goes,? she said.
Indonesia has suffered 113 known deaths from bird flu infections since 2003, the highest of any country, according to World Health Organisation data.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Taiwan culls 18,000 chickens due to bird flu
12/22/08 VNA--China?s Taiwanese agricultural authorities have slaughtered 18,000 chickens after an outbreak of bird flu, news reports said.
The authorities said on December 21 that when a farm in Luchu, southern Kaohsiung district reported some of their chickens had died of an unknown disease on October 21, they immediately banned movement of the birds from the farm.
An inspection report released on December 20 showed that the chickens had contracted the H5N2 strain of the disease, a less virulent strain than H5N1, which can be transmitted to humans, according to news reports.
Taiwan has suspended its poultry exports, but will be allowed to resume them if no fresh outbreak of H5N2 is reported within the next three months, Huang Kwo-ching, deputy director of the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine said.
There have been no recorded cases of the deadly H5N1 strain in Taiwan, although in 2005 the authorities said eight pet birds smuggled from China had tested positive for the strain and had been destroyed.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Cambodian survives bird flu infection
12/22/08 Shanghai Daily--A 19-YEAR-OLD Cambodian man has survived the H5N1 bird flu virus which has killed seven other people in the poor Southeast Asian nation since 2005, a health ministry official said yesterday.
The youth, who became infected after eating dead poultry, was discharged from a Phnom Penh hospital on Saturday after being treated for 10 days, Ly Sovann, deputy director of communicable disease control department, said. "He left safe and sound," Ly Sovann said.
Cambodia began culling poultry near its capital last week, and ordered a three-month ban on poultry being moved from the province of Kandal, 50 kilometer south of Phnom Penh, after tests confirmed it was hit by the deadly virus.
The young man, the eighth person in Cambodia to have contracted bird flu since its first case in 2005, fell ill on November 28 but was only confirmed as having bird flu on December 11.
All seven of Cambodia's previous human cases have died. Since H5N1 resurfaced in Asia in 2003, it has killed more than 200 people.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Culling Continues in Avian?Flu-hit West Bengal District
12/22/08 Khaleej Times--Over 22,000 poultry birds have been culled since Tuesday in West Bengal?s bird flu-hit Malda district, a state minister said Sunday.
?About 22,500 chickens and ducks have been culled till Saturday night at Narhatta and Satgheria villages under English Bazar police station in Malda district,? Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Anisur Rehman said on Sunday. ?Major part of the culling operations were over Saturday night. Whatever little is left, veterinary workers will complete by Sunday night.?? ?Simultaneously we have started the mopping up operations on Sunday that will continue till Monday,? Rehman said.?
The ARD had set a target of culling about 25,000 poultry birds in the affected areas of Malda, about 350km from here. ??Veterinary workers, wearing white protective suits, gloves and masks, started the culling operations on Tuesday after blood samples of dead poultry tested positive for avian flu.?
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Four culling staff fall ill in India
12/22/08 Asia News.Net--At least four culling personnel were taken ill during culling and mopping operations of bird-flu infected chicken in Malda Saturday evening.
One of them Mohd Ellius was admitted to the isolation ward for observation.
According to the Malda CMOH, Dr Srikanta Roy, Mohd Ellius is suffering from abdominal pain.
?He does not have respiratory problem or influenza symptom so far. But we have kept him in the isolation ward for observation?, said Dr Roy. Besides Mohd Ellius, three others who were engaged in the culling and mopping operation were reported to have fallen ill.
According to Dr Roy, one Khagen Sarkar, who had fallen sick in course of the anti-Avian Flu operation, was recovering fast.
?He worked today in the field of his own accord as he feels all right,? said the official.
Two others, one Mohd Sazzad from Satgharia and another person with the same name, from Sujapur, who were working as labourers, fell ill too.
However, according to health officials, their illness has nothing to do with the culling operation. ?Both were asthma patients and fell ill owing to the cold. They joined duty at the control room today (December 21),? said a health official.
The Malda CMOH said that with the culling operation over in 13 moujas of Narhatta gram panchayat in English Bazaar, the block health workers have started surveillance work within 0 to 3 km radius from the epicentre of the bird flu outbreak and found 112 people down with cold and fever.
?This report has been sent to the state health department headquarters. No one has so far been identified as suffering from fever in the affected area,? Dr Srikanta Roy said.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
Thailand: Bird flu teams inspect high-risk villages in Uttaradit
12/22/08 Thai News--Officials and volunteers on Sunday inspected Pichai district in the lower northern province of Uttaradit, where poultry farming is important for villager income, to scan for the possible reappearance of the bird flu virus.
Bird flu inspection teams led by the head of the provincial livestock office, Panom Meesiripan, started their operation in Pichai district as poultry farming in more intensive here than in other districts.
Pichai district is also considered a high risk area as it adjoins Sukhothai province where health officers detected the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus in dead fowl in late October.
Mr. Panom said that the bird flu inspection team found that villagers still adopted an inappropriate way of poultry farming, leaving chickens or ducks to move about freely. In the cold season, poultry are able to be infected bird flu virus easily.
The liverstock service chief said that three bird flu operations teams would inspect every village for information on epidemic diseases in poultry and keep inspecting and disinfecting farms in every village continuously for six months, until May next year.
He emphasised that villagers were told to inform officials immediately when poultry deaths occur from unknown causes.
Meanwhile, nearby Phichit province also keeps close watch in its 12 districts although bird flu has not been found in the province since 2006.
Phichit public health official Dr. Prajak Wattanakul admitted that the cool weather is a factor which could trigger the potentially deadly virus in the area.
Dr. Prajak however reassured the public that if bird flu virus reappears, the province will be able to quickly control the disease as the preventative measures against the avian influenza have been continuously implemented.
Regional Reporting and Surveillance
India: Centre reviews bird flu situation, asks states to be prepared
12/22/08 New Kerala--Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today reviewed the Avian Influenza situation in the country following the outbreak of the disease in West Bengal and Assam and asked all the state governments to upgrade preparedness to deal with the bird flu.
At a high-level meeting of various ministries and state governments, the Health Minister looked into the current level of preparedness of various agencies in dealing with the bird flu and decided to write to all the Chief Ministers and Health Ministers to upgrade the preparedness to deal with the disease.
The Health Minister expressed concern on recurrence of Avian Influenza in West Bengal and requested the health set-up of the State to scale up their preparations and efforts to deal with the situation. He advised the state to carry out a regular drill to deal with the disease, irrespective of the outbreak conditions.
Dr Ramadoss emphasised the need to increase the awareness campaign in order to educate the people to adopt safe practices and cooperate in the culling operations. He assured all the states of full support from the Centre for their efforts and asked them to utilise this situation to create a standing infrastructure to deal with Avian Influenza in future also.
The Health Minister was informed that after December 16, no fresh outbreak had been reported. He was also informed about the containment efforts and culling activities along with the details of human surveillance.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from Ministry of Health, Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Home, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Governments of Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Bihar, and Jharkhand.
