Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

[Giuseppe]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

[AVIAN INFLUENZA, WILD BIRDS, JAPAN, OIE, UPDATES] Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Japan
Information received on 09/05/2008 from Dr Toshiro Kawashima, Director, International Animal Health Affairs Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo , Japan

? Summary
Report type Follow-up report No. 1
Start date 21/04/2008
Date of first confirmation of the event 25/04/2008
Report date 09/05/2008
Date submitted to OIE 09/05/2008
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 2007
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to the whole country
Related reports Immediate notification (29/04/2008)
Follow-up report No. 1 (09/05/2008)

? New outbreaks
* Outbreak 1 - Betsukai town, HOKKAIDO
Date of start of the outbreak 24/04/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Not applicable
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
* Wild species - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Affected population swan
Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak statistics: Species - Apparent morbidity rate - Apparent mortality rate - Apparent case fatality rate - Proportion susceptible animals lost*
* Wild species - ** - ** - 100.00% **
* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter
** not_calc_miss_info

? Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection Unknown or inconclusive

? Epidemiological comments
Outbreak in Akita
The prefecture authorities visited the 15 chicken farms for emergency on-site inspections within a 30-km-radius area where the swans were found. As of 9 May, emergency disinfection of the chicken farms was carried out and is ongoing in the whole area of each prefecture (Akita, Aomori, Iwate). They are also monitoring the wild birds around the area and cooperate with the Ministry of Environment on the surveillance measures of wild birds. Until 9 May, no unusual incidents have been reported in the Akita, Aomori and Iwate prefectures.

Outbreak in Hokkaido
The Hokkaido University (OIE Reference Laboratory) has confirmed a case of HPAI H5N1 in a dead swan at the Nozuke peninsula on the Betsukai town. The authorities inspected for emergency on-site inspections five chicken farms within a 30-Km-radius of the spot where the dead swan was found on 24 April. Emergency disinfection of the chicken farms finished in the area on 7 May. Until 9 May, No unusual incidents have been observed.

? Control measures
Measures applied Vaccination prohibited
No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied No other measures

? Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type Hokkaido University (OIE?s Reference Laboratory)
Tests and results: Species - Test - Test date - Result
* Wild species - intravenous pathogenicity index (IVPI) test - 05/05/2008 - Positive
Laboratory name and type Hokkaido University (OIE?s Reference Laboratory)
Tests and results: Species - Test - Test date - Result
* Wild species - neuraminidase inhibition assay - 05/05/2008 - Positive
* Wild species - pathogen isolation by egg inoculation - 05/05/2008 - Positive

? Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.
-
------

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

H5N1 bird flu found in swan, third case in northern Japan in recent weeks

Japanese officials worried Saturday that the H5N1 bird flu virus may be spreading among wild birds in the north after the body of a swan tested positive for the disease, the third case in recent weeks.

No poultry have been sickened so far, said Shigeki Oda, a farm official in the northern island prefecture (state) of Hokkaido. He said, however, that health authorities plan to inspect three nearby poultry farms and to disinfect 180,000 chickens as a precaution.


Scientists at Hokkaido University were conducting gene tests to determine more information about the cases, Oda said.


The most recent case reported was that of a wild swan found dead May 5 near Saroma Lake, with final test results Saturday confirming the presence of the virus. H5N1 was also confirmed in dead swans in another location in Hokkaido on May 5, and in northeastern Akita prefecture on April 29.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/5/10/apworld/20080510121222&sec=apworld

[Shiloh]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

Source: http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news...na011000c.html

Deadly H5N1 virus found in whooper swan in Hokkaido

SAPPORO -- The deadly H5N1 avian flu virus has been found in the body of a whooper swan that was found at Lake Saroma in Hokkaido, prefectural officials announced Saturday.

It is the fifth time that the virus has been found in a wild bird in Japan, and the third time since April, when the virus was found in the bodies of whooper swans at Lake Towada in Kosaka, Akita Prefecture, and on the Notsuke Peninsula in Hokkaido.

The body of the swan in Saroma was discovered by a prefectural worker on Monday. It tested positive in a basic screening for the virus, so a detailed examination was performed at Hokkaido University.

Officials intend to conduct a genetic analysis on the virus to determine whether the source is the same as that in the cases at Lake Towada and on the Notsuke Peninsula.

In line with the Domestic Animal Infectious Diseases Control Law, officials plan to inspect three chicken farms within a 30 kilometer radius of the area where the dead bird was found and order that the facilities be disinfected.

[Shiloh]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

Source: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-b...0080511a1.html

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Latest swan death confirms H5N1 in Hokkaido
Compiled from Kyodo, AP

SAPPORO ? The Hokkaido Prefectural Government said Saturday that the deadly H5N1 strain of avian influenza was detected in a dead swan found Monday near Lake Saroma, a sign that bird flu may indeed be spreading among wild birds in northern Japan.

It is the third case of H5N1 confirmed this year, following cases involving a dead swan April 24 in the Notsuke Peninsula and three out of four swans found dead or dying near Lake Towada in Akita Prefecture on April 21.

Under the law to prevent infectious diseases in livestock, the livestock hygiene service center in Abashiri was expected to start on-site inspections later in the day at three chicken farms within a 30-km radius of the place where the latest swan was found.

The center will issue an order for the chicken farms to disinfect poultry houses and take steps to prevent the virus from spreading.

It will also provide instructions to anybody in the area who keeps chickens.

No chicken farms reported abnormalities in a survey taken immediately after the swan was found, and the two officials who collected the dead bird appear to be healthy, prefectural officials said.

Hokkaido University, which has conducted detailed tests on the swan since Monday, plans to look into its DNA to see if there there are any correlations with the viruses found in other dead birds.

The period during which swans fly into Hokkaido has peaked, and there are only about 500 remaining in Onuma pond in Wakkanai, on the tip of the island, the prefectural government said.

The virus is still hard for people to contract, but scientists are concerned it might mutate into a form that can spread more easily among humans and kill millions worldwide.

At least 240 people have died from bird flu since 2003, according to the World Health Organization. Most of the human cases have been linked to contact with infected poultry.

Japan has reported no human cases of the bird flu virus.

[HenryN]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Japanese authorities fear bird flu spread in wild birds

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=article-author> </TD></TR><TR><TD class=article-date>Published: Sunday, 11-May-2008 </TD></TR><TR><TD><!-- Printer Friendly / Email to a Friend Links --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=15></TD><TD> Printer Friendly</TD><TD> </TD><TD width=18></TD><TD> Email to a Friend
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND: url(aspvirtualnews/template_images/smalldot.gif)" height=25> </TD></TR><TR><TD>Disease/Infection News
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript><!--google_ad_client = "pub-8430344808469242";/* 250x250, News-Medical */google_ad_slot = "1096755934";google_ad_width = 250;google_ad_height = 250;//--></SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT>
The discovery of another swan killed by bird flu in Japan has concerned health authorities.

The dead swan was found on the northern island of Hokkaido and authorities have confirmed that the wild bird was infected with the H5N1 strain of bird flu.
Another case, also in a dead swan, found five days ago near Lake Saroma in eastern Hokkaido, has also been confirmed as bird flu, this latest case apparently had the same strain found in another dead swan found on April 24th on another part of the island.
This latest case is Japan's third outbreak this year; several swans were found in April with the H5N1 strain on the shores of Lake Towada, close to the northern tip of the main island of Honshu.
Japanese authorities are concerned that the bird flu virus may be spreading among wild birds in the north but so far officials in Hokkaido say no poultry have been affected.
Health authorities will inspect three nearby poultry farms and disinfect 180,000 chickens as a precaution and scientists at Hokkaido University are conducting gene tests to find out more information about the cases.
Officials say the period when swans fly into Hokkaido has now peaked and only about 500 remain in a lake on the tip of the island.
Even though the virus remains a disease mainly of birds which is difficult for people to catch, scientists are concerned the virus will ultimately mutate into a form that spreads more easily between humans, with the potential to kill millions worldwide.
According to the World Health Organisation at least 240 people have died from bird flu since 2003, and most human cases have been las a result of close contact with infected poultry.
To date Japan has reported no human cases of the bird flu virus.
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>http://www.news-medical.net/print_article.asp?id=38268</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Giuseppe]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

[AVIAN INFLUENZA, WILD BIRDS, JAPAN, OIE, UPDATES] Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Japan

Information received on 13/05/2008 from Dr Toshiro Kawashima, Director, International Animal Health Affairs Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo , Japan

? Summary
Report type Follow-up report No. 2
Start date 21/04/2008
Date of first confirmation of the event 25/04/2008
Report date 13/05/2008
Date submitted to OIE 13/05/2008
Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 2007
Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus Serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to the whole country
Related reports Immediate notification (29/04/2008)
Follow-up report No. 1 (09/05/2008)
Follow-up report No. 2 (13/05/2008)

? New outbreaks
* Outbreak 1 - Saroma town, HOKKAIDO
Date of start of the outbreak 05/05/2008
Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not provided)
Epidemiological unit Not applicable
Affected animals: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
* Wild species - 1 - 1 - 0 - 0
Affected population swan
Summary of outbreaks: Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak statistics: Species - Apparent morbidity rate - Apparent mortality rate - Apparent case fatality rate - Proportion susceptible animals lost*
* Wild species - ** - ** - 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

? Epidemiological comments
* Outbreak in Akita
Until 12 May, no unusual incidents have been reported in the Akita, Aomori and Iwate prefectures.

* Outbreak in Hokkaido
1) Betsukai town: Until 12 May, No unusual incidents have been observed.
2) Saroma town: The Hokkaido University (OIE Reference Laboratory) confirmed a case of HPAI H5N1 in a dead swan near Lake Saroma on the Saroma town on 10 May. On 6 May, the Hokkaido prefecture authorities visited for emergency on-site inspections 11 chicken farms within a 30-km-radius of the spot where the dead swan was found on 5 May. Emergency disinfection of the chicken farms finished in the area on 12 May. Until 12 May, no unusual incidents have been observed.

? Control measures
Measures applied Vaccination prohibited
No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied No other measures

? Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type Hokkaido University (OIE?s Reference Laboratory)
Tests and results: Species - Test - Test date - Result
* Wild species - intravenous pathogenicity index (IVPI) test - 10/05/2008 - Positive
* Wild species - neuraminidase inhibition assay - 10/05/2008 - Positive
* Wild species - pathogen isolation by egg inoculation - 10/05/2008 - Positive

? Future Reporting
The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.
-
------

[HenryN]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

<TABLE class=layout><TBODY><TR><TD class=main>
<!--// headline_start //-->Swans infected with same flu virus

<!--// headline_end //--><!--// byline_start //-->The Yomiuri Shimbun
<!--// byline_end //--><!--// article_start //--><!-- google_ad_region_start=region1 -->The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry announced Tuesday that the deadly H5N1 bird influenza virus detected in six dead swans in Akita Prefecture and Hokkaido were all of the same type.
Due to the specific toxic potency of the virus, the dead swans must have been infected in a specific place, the ministry said.
The dead swans were found on the lakeside of Lake Towada in Akita Prefecture, and Notsuke Peninsula and Lake Saroma, both in eastern Hokkaido, in April and May.
(<!--// date_start //-->May. 15, 2008<!--// date_end //-->)

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080515TDY02304.htm

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[Giuseppe]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

<TABLE class=layout><TBODY><TR><TD class=main>
<!--// headline_start //-->Swans infected with same flu virus

<!--// headline_end //--><!--// byline_start //-->The Yomiuri Shimbun
<!--// byline_end //--><!--// article_start //--><!-- google_ad_region_start=region1 -->The Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry announced Tuesday that the deadly H5N1 bird influenza virus detected in six dead swans in Akita Prefecture and Hokkaido were all of the same type.
Due to the specific toxic potency of the virus, the dead swans must have been infected in a specific place, the ministry said.
The dead swans were found on the lakeside of Lake Towada in Akita Prefecture, and Notsuke Peninsula and Lake Saroma, both in eastern Hokkaido, in April and May.
(<!--// date_start //-->May. 15, 2008<!--// date_end //-->)

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080515TDY02304.htm

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Six dead wild birds account is in line with OIE reports (Immediate Notification (4 birds), Follow-up Report 1 (1 bird) and Follow-up Report 2 (above, 1 bird).

[HenryN]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

Bird in full of Akita prefecture and Hokkaido, at the same place at 3 places of infection or Akita prefecture and Hokkaido the fact that bird influenza virus detection of ?H5N1 type? follows one another is accepted from the swan, Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries the 13th and depends on the specialist, ?the house it is to come opening disease sub-committee?, infection route etc were argued. As for the gene of the virus which is detected at 3 places as for the swan which almost agreement, dies opinion was shown that the possibility of being infected to the virus at the same place is high. 　When the gene was analyzed the field attaching peninsula of the Towada lakeside and Hokkaido of Akita prefecture, concerning the virus which in the Salomaa lake is detected from the swan, arrangement almost agreed. (00: 35)

http://www.nikkei.co.jp/news/shakai/20080514AT1G1303X14052008.html

[HenryN]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

Bird influenza: The virus of detection, “strongly strongly the bird influenza virus of poison which is detected from [oohakuchiyou] of poison type” gene agreement Akita prefecture and Hokkaido type (H5N1 type), on the 13th, the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries “house is to come disease sub-committee” (the chairman and happy rice field Hiroshi Hokkaido large graduate school professor) with it was reported in Akita and Hokkaido that the gene is almost identical. You say that the possibility of being infected at the domestic same place is high. 　According to Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, independent administrative corporate body it was ascertained with analysis of the animal hygienic laboratory of “agricultural food industry technical comprehensive research mechanism”. But, you say that it differs from the virus which in the past is verified in the country, presently has become popular in Indonesia and Vietnam. 　Happy rice field chairman “thinks that you were infected in the domestic same lake,” that it points out. Concerning the lake of problem “also air temperature to rise, because it has entered in a state where the virus is dull the fear the virus spreading it is not”, that it explained. <OKUYAMA Satoshi oneself>Everyday the newspaper 2008 May 14th Hokkaido morning edition

http://mainichi.jp/hokkaido/shakai/news/20080514ddr041040003000c.html

[HenryN]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/05140805/H5N1_Japan_Fujian.html

[Giuseppe]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

Bird influenza: The virus of detection, “strongly strongly the bird influenza virus of poison which is detected from [oohakuchiyou] of poison type” gene agreement Akita prefecture and Hokkaido type (H5N1 type), on the 13th, the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries “house is to come disease sub-committee” (the chairman and happy rice field Hiroshi Hokkaido large graduate school professor) with it was reported in Akita and Hokkaido that the gene is almost identical. You say that the possibility of being infected at the domestic same place is high. 　According to Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, independent administrative corporate body it was ascertained with analysis of the animal hygienic laboratory of “agricultural food industry technical comprehensive research mechanism”. But, you say that it differs from the virus which in the past is verified in the country, presently has become popular in Indonesia and Vietnam. 　Happy rice field chairman “thinks that you were infected in the domestic same lake,” that it points out. Concerning the lake of problem “also air temperature to rise, because it has entered in a state where the virus is dull the fear the virus spreading it is not”, that it explained. <OKUYAMA oneself Satoshi>Everyday the newspaper 2008 May 14th Hokkaido morning edition

http://mainichi.jp/hokkaido/shakai/n...40003000c.html

May 13th is the date of latest OIE Follow-up Report (no.2). It seems that no further cases was detected in the last three days. The start of the event dated back April 21, 2008.

[HenryN]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

May 13th is the date of latest OIE Follow-up Report (no.2). It seems that no further cases was detected in the last three days. The start of the event dated back April 21, 2008.

By now most of these birds have headed north. The problems will arise when the wild birds from Japan/Korea carrying Fujian start to mix with birds from Europe/Middle East/Africa carrying Qinghai.

[HenryN]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/05150801/H5N1_Japan_Fujian_Expansion.html

[Blue]

Re: Japan detects bird flu in wild swans

Trying to understand the concern here. Have I got this right?

Clades are different strains of the virus? The birds with Fujian
will be mixing with birds carrying Qinghai.

The two strains will be interacting because they will be in the same
geographical areas. Co-infecting the same hosts, they will share
genetic information via recombination.

Both viruses are expanding geographic range, and may be moving into
new territory such as North America.

If they evolve via recombination, what might we be seeing next?
Is is possible to predict?