Eastern Germany: Suspicion of H5N1 in dead swans

[Gänseerpel]

A spokesmon of the saxon health administration said three dead swans had been found in Frohburg south of Leipzig. Preliminary tests have been positive for H5N1 infection in one bird.
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/weltspieg...rt1117,2328485

[HenryN]

This is an important development. One translation seems to indicate the H5N1 in Germany does not match the Czech Republic or Hungary.

Is this correct, and does this match failure refer to the sequences from Nurenburg? If so, these would seem to be clade 2.2.2.3

[HenryN]

Germany tests swan for birdflu
Tue 26 Jun 2007 13:02:06 BST

(Releads with new suspect case, adds details paragraph four)

HAMBURG, June 26 (Reuters) - No new cases of the lethal strain of bird flu have been confirmed in wild birds in Germany since the weekend but a dead swan was being tested for it, authorities said on Tuesday.

Six wild birds were confirmed as infected with the dangerous H5N1 strain of birdflu after they were found in Nuremberg in south Germany and were examined as part of a national testing programme.

"The number remains at six, we have no additional cases," a spokeswoman for Germany's Friedrich Loeffler animal disease institute said.

But later on Tuesday the east German regional government of Saxony said it had a suspect H5N1 case in a dead swan. Test results would be received later this week.

Authorities continued to investigate the Nuremberg outbreak, the first in Germany this year, but the Agriculture Ministry believes the incident could be isolated.

Poultry farmers in the Nuremberg region have been ordered to confine all poultry to closed stalls. As of Saturday, a 21-day ban was imposed on bringing poultry or poultry products in or out of the area, which is now a quarantine zone.

Last year, some 13 European Union member states had confirmed cases of bird flu -- Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Britain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, France and Hungary.

Bird flu has been spreading across southeast Asia, killing two people in Vietnam this month, the first deaths there since 2005.

Globally, the H5N1 virus has killed nearly 200 people out of over 300 known cases, according to the World Health Organisation. None of the victims were from Europe.

http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/Cris...ryId=L26698350

[HenryN]

Originally Posted by niman

Germany tests swan for birdflu
Tue 26 Jun 2007 13:02:06 BST

(Releads with new suspect case, adds details paragraph four)

HAMBURG, June 26 (Reuters) -

But later on Tuesday the east German regional government of Saxony said it had a suspect H5N1 case in a dead swan. Test results would be received later this week.


http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/Cris...ryId=L26698350

Is this a mute swan?

[HenryN]

Originally Posted by Gänseerpel

A spokesmon of the saxon health administration said three dead swans had been found in Frohburg south of Leipzig. Preliminary tests have been positive for H5N1 infection in one bird.
http://www.tagesspiegel.de/weltspieg...rt1117,2328485

It should be noted that this positive is considerably north of the other positives, and therefore may be clade 2.2.2.1, which included isolates from the cat and stone martin and was the largest outbreak in western Europe (and largely confined to northern Germany).

These data suggest there are at least two reservoirs in Germany, and I suspect the Czech outbreaks represents the third.

Thus, there is a good chance that clade 2.2.2.1, 2.2.2.2, and 2.2.2.3 will be detected in the summer in non-migrating wild birds.

Germany (and western Europe) are endemic for H5N1 (and multiple sub-clades).

[HenryN]

Translation:

H5N1 also in Saxonia - no further cases in Nuernberg 26.06.2007 12:39 o'clock Frohburg/Nuernberg/Riems - after the occurance of of the bird flu in Nuernberg also in Saxonia infected animals were found. Three dead swans were discovered in glad castle south of Leipzig, reported the Saxonian Ministry of Health. A first test proved the dangerous bird flu virus H5N1. At present further investigations ran at Bundesinstitut for animal health on the Baltic Sea island Riems. Only if the results were present, concrete measures were decided. In Saxonia in the previous year the bird flu in a utilizable animal existence had broken out. In Nuernberg meanwhile no further H5N1-Infektionen was proven with animals. "it remains with the six cases of bird flu", reported a spokeswoman of the city. Bundesinstitut for animal health on the island Riems examines further bird flu suspicion from Nuernberg according to own data still another. The sample comes from a swan, which was found likewise dead in the city, said the president of the Friedrich Loeffler institute, Thomas's C Mettenleiter. The results were expected on Wednesday. The origin of the exciter is further unclear. In molecular-biological investigations the Genomsequenzen in Nuernberg with game birds found of the virus is to be compared with those of the H5N1-Erregers proven in Tschechien and Hungary, said Mettenleiter. With the comparison family relations are not to be uncovered (with dpa) H5N1 also in Saxonia - no further cases in Nuernberg H5N1 also in Saxonia - further cases in Nuernberg

[HenryN]

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/06...WB_Saxony.html

[FluBossie]

H5N1 is back - the bird flu hysteria fortunately not


Experts regard the infection of game birds in Nuernberg as local event/no increased danger for humans and poultry

NUERNBERG/RIEMS (courage/mut/dpa).

After the find from so far eight bird-flu-infected game birds in Nuernberg to a large extent leaving prevails. Experts do not assume the virus in Germany continues to spread. Also for the population they do not see to any danger.


On a lake in Nuernberg officials of the occupation fire-brigade search for bird flu patient swans. Photo: strip packing

The bird flu virus H5N1 is for the first time for ten months back in Germany, but this mark will not receive it from hectically fixed press conferences and Kassandra calls. Completely in the opposite, that Upper House of Parliament wants to advise completely unbeeindruckt from the events coming week over a loosening of the stable obligation for poultry.

Also the responsible animal you authority, Friedrich Loeffler Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) on the Baltic Sea island Riems, does not remember to change its danger estimate: Only in April the FLI had down-gradated the transmission risk of H5N1 by game birds on German chickens and geese of "highly" on "moderately", and it was to also remain according to data of the FLI for the time being, despite the new cases in Nuernberg.

So much leaving has a reason: After the virus did not spread with its first visit of Germany one year ago, as from many fears, uncontrolled, one assumes now it spares the German poultry existence also in the future, as long as one considers a few safety rules. Thus around the discovery sites in Nuernberg a restricted area with a radius was furnished approximately by four kilometers. In the area poultry owners must ensure that their animals are in a taken off enclosure. Dogs and cats may not run around there freely, them could infect itself, if they eat dead or ill birds.

One point surprised the experts nevertheless somewhat: They had actually expected and not the return of the virus to the large bird migrations in the spring in the summer, if high temperatures should make the transmission more difficult of the exciter. Since the outbreak in an Truthahn existence in Tschechien one week ago it was however clear that H5N1 is again in the proximity.

To the population applies further: Dead animals do not touch. Ended water birds the authorities announce. Then, so professor Thomas Mettenleiter of the FLI, does not exist any health danger.

http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate...rUrl=Translate

http://www.aerztezeitung.de/docs/200....asp?cat=/news

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[HenryN]

Germany finds three more cases of lethal bird flu

Tue Jun 26, 2007 1:53PM EDT
HAMBURG (Reuters) - Germany identified three more cases of the lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu in swans on Tuesday, bringing the total number of wild birds infected to nine, but authorities said they had not changed their risk assessment.
The Friedrich Loeffler animal disease institute said the three swans were found near Leipzig in the eastern state of Saxony. Nine wild birds -- eight swans and a Canada goose -- had now been confirmed as H5N1 cases, it added.
"The new cases from Saxony do not change anything yet in our risk assessment," Thomas Mettenleiter, president of the institute, said in a statement.
Six birds were confirmed at the weekend as infected with H5N1 after they were found in Nuremberg in south Germany and were examined as part of a national testing program.
Authorities continued to investigate the Nuremberg outbreak, the first in Germany this year, but the Agriculture Ministry believes the incident could be isolated.
"Given the current finds, our experts are not yet able to judge whether there will be a more widespread epidemic of the disease similar to last year," Mettenleiter said.
Further tests comparing the latest finds with viruses in Hungary and the Czech Republic should provide clues as to how the H5N1 strain entered Germany, he added.
Poultry farmers in the Nuremberg region have been ordered to confine all poultry to closed stalls. As of Saturday, a 21-day ban was imposed on bringing poultry or poultry products in or out of the area, which is now a quarantine zone.
Last year, some 13 European Union member states had confirmed cases of bird flu -- Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy, Greece, Britain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, France and Hungary.
Bird flu has been spreading across southeast Asia, killing two people in Vietnam this month, the first deaths there since 2005.
Globally, the H5N1 virus has killed nearly 200 people out of over 300 known cases, according to the World Health Organization. None of the victims were from Europe.
(Additional reporting by Iain Rogers in Berlin)

http://www.reuters.com/article/envir...6?feedType=RSS

[HenryN]

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/06..._WB_Multi.html

[HenryN]

Germany confirms second bird flu outbreak

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German health officials on Tuesday confirmed that the potentially lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu had been found in wild swans in the east of the country, the second such incident here in a week.
The three birds were found dead in the area around Frohburg, near Liepzig, second incidence of the feared virus in a week, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute reported.
The discovery followed the confirmation on Sunday of six cases of H5N1 in wild birds found dead near Nuremberg, 200 kilometres (120 miles) further south.
In Frohburg, a three-kilometre security cordon has been set up around the area where the swans were found. All poultry within this area must be kept indoors and dogs and cats are being kept on leads.
The Frohburg case was the second case of the flu strain found in Germany this year, and the third in Europe.
Last week, H5N1 was discovered on a turkey farm in the Czech Republic, and 6,000 turkeys were subsequently slaughtered.
Germany has only recorded one incidence of the feared virus on a farm, in April 2006, after which more than 21,000 poultry were killed.

http://www.france24.com/france24Publ...skv3u&cat=null

[HenryN]

URL: http://www.tagesspiegel.de/meinung/K...art141,2328962

Like dock from the crate


Announcement


Alexander S. Kekulé
26.06.2007 16:59 o'clock

Alexander S. Kekulé
26.06.2007 16:59 o'clock

It saw almost after a Happy ends out: For August last yearly had given it in Germany no more only case of bird flu. Thousands of game birds from the federal territory were since then examined, always without result. Even the autumn and spring bird courses expected with fearing for passed, without the disaster from February 2006 repeated itself - the dangerous bird flu virus H5N1-Asia had just as suddenly and disappeared unexpectedly, as it had come.

At the end of April gradated Friedrich Loeffler Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) therefore the bird flu risk for utilizable poultry of "highly" on "moderately" back. The specialists of the federal authority responsible for animal epidemics decided at the same time to a courageous recommendation: The general Aufstallungspflicht is to be waived time near, locking up the poultry is only in few risk areas necessary. At the beginning of of July wanted to advise the Upper House of Parliament over loosening the stable obligation.

But then the malicious virus slammed shut again. Like dock from the crate it emerged past week, where it was expected by the authorities to few: not during the bird course and not in a densely populated NIST area, not during the cold season and not at a waters close to the border - separate in the middle in the Nuernberger town center, in a completely normal city park. Now the experts look for politicians for explanations, argue about the use of vaccines and the continuation of the Aufstallungspflicht. The FLI recommended to the municipalities to specify the risk areas with Aufstallungsgebot again.

Renewed emerging of the bird flu would not have to surprise however by any means - two well-known spreading ways make H5N1-Asia also further a threat for the German feather/spring cattle.

First of all the virus can be brought in at any time with human assistance. In vacation countries such as Tschechien, Hungary or Egypt the bird flu broke out only recently again. A bring along bird feather/spring, somewhat a raw poultry meat or the dust at the shoes are sufficient already, in order to release with the water birds at the domestic city lake an epidemic disease. Also a along-traveling domestic animal, about a cat or a canary, could transfer the illness.

If such were, bringing of the trips of the Nuernberger of outbreak in which can be expected rarely, the FLI could remain during its optimistic risk evaluation - the authority examines therefore feverful whether the gene sequence of the Nuernberger H5N1 agrees with the viruses of well-known outbreaks abroad.

Secondly it is certain however that the virus is present further outside in the animal world - the outbreaks only observed abroad thus can be explained with utilizable poultry. There is obviously at least a kind of bird - probable water birds -, which H5N1-Asia for months in itself carries and within its population passes on, without getting sick with difficulty. Who this "natural landlord" is, could not be determined so far. Therefore it is quite possible that H5N1-Asia lurks somewhere also in Germany and can occasionally of outbreaks like that in Nuernberg cause.

There is therefore no reason to be able to be surprised from each new outbreak and to disconcert citizens and poultry owners by always new regulations and recommendations. The abolition of the general stable obligation is meaningful, if the municipalities - which are further responsible also after the federalism reform - individual risk areas with Aufstallungspflicht conscientiously specify. At the same time strict hygiene regulations for poultry owners must prevent bringing the epidemic in into the stables.

Despite everything epidemic authorities and politics will not come to explain the citizens openly that the bird flu can slam shut still for many years isolated. Before it - apart from the birds - nobody must have fear: The risk for humans is tiny under German hygiene conditions - trivial exciters such as Salmonellen about are often more dangerous.

The author is a director of institute and professor for molecular microbiology in resounds.

[HenryN]

URL: http://www.tagesspiegel.de/weltspieg...rt1117,2329120

H5N1 now also in Saxonia



26.06.2007 19:54 o'clock


26.06.2007 19:54 o'clock





Announcement

Frohburg - The bird flu reached a second German Land of the Federal Republic with Saxonia. In glad castle of Leipzig three dead swans were found southern, with which the aggressive virus H5N1 was proven, how Friedrich Loeffler Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) on the island confirmed Riems with grab forest. On weekend in Nuernberg with sixth dead swans a H5N1- infection had been determined. It was first admits become outbreak of the bird flu in Germany since August 2006.

A case of suspicion from Nuernberg is examined still, communicated the FLI. Also in Saxonia a further verendeter swan still one examine, reported the Saxonian Ministry of Health. The number of the game birds in Germany, infected with bird flu, lies thereby at present with nine, of it eight swans and a Canada goose. The bird flu risk remains however unchanged according to Institut.

Moderate transmission risk on utilizable poultry

"the new cases from Saxonia change however still nothing in our risk evaluation", said FLI president Thomas Mettenleiter. It remains with a moderate transmission risk of game birds on utilizable poultry. Whether the animal epidemic arises similarly as in the past year strengthened, is still unclear. The researchers want to examine and with viruses from Tschechien and Hungary compare the hereditary property of the viruses from Bavaria and Saxonia more near, in order to experience more over the origin of the exciters.

In a radius of three kilometers around the discovery site of the swans in glad castle a prohibited area was furnished, as the Saxonian Ministry of Health communicated. Within this zone feather/spring cattle in the stable must be held. Dogs are to be led at the line. Cats may not in the free. Utilizable poultry and poultry products may not be brought or out-transported into the prohibited area. The restrictions apply first to 21 days.

Opposition demands inoculation strategy

Meanwhile FDP and the Greens in the Bundestag demanded an inoculation strategy for poultry. Green parliamentary group vice Baerbel Hoehn warned in the news station n-tv of the fact that the stable obligation could make the open land attitude broken. FDP agrarian politician Hans Michael Goldmann required, the Federal Government is to use itself for omission of animals inoculated by trade restrictions for exports. At present the government rejects precautionary inoculating, because inoculated cannot be differentiated yet from infected animals.

In the spring of the previous yearly in Saxonia in Germany the bird flu in a utilizable animal existence had broken out for the first time. Afterwards the illness in numerous Lands of the Federal Republic arose. Thousands of animals of poultry farms had to be killed. (with dpa) H5N1 now also in Saxonia H5N1 now also in Saxonia

[HenryN]

URL: http://www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/Br...art128,2327922
Of Brandenburg Minister appeals at poultry owners
25.06.2007 12:56 o'clock


Potsdam - Secretary of Agriculture Dietmar Woidke (SPD) reminds poultry owners to the strict observance of preventive measures against the bird flu. The new cases in Germany showed that the virus in the game population circulates further and a Gefaehrdungspotenzial exists for the house poultry existence. Woidke appealed in potsdam to the sole responsibility of the owners to do "everything around the contact of house poultry with game birds to prevent".

Finds of dead birds should be announced to the veterinary centres of the circles and/or the police and forest authorities. The salvage of dead animals is to be guaranteed by the circle authorities. If increased animal losses in poultry existence could be signs of an epidemic and were to be indicated immediately, the Minister said.

On weekend in Nuernberg several dead game birds had been found, with which dangerous H5N1-Virus were infected. (with strip packing) of Brandenburg Minister appealed at poultry owners of Brandenburg Minister appeals at poultry owners

[HenryN]

AVIAN INFLUENZA (112): GERMANY (SAXONY), WILD BIRDS
************************************************** *
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Tue 26 June 2007
Source: DPA via expatica.com [edited]
<http://www.expatica.com/actual/article.asp?subchannel_id=26&story_id=41291>


Bird flu found in second German state
-------------------------------------
A summer outbreak of bird flu in Germany was confirmed on Tuesday [26 Jun
2007] to have spread to a second state, with 3 swans killed by the deadly
form of avian influenza in a small town close to Leipzig. At the end of
last week, 6 swans killed by the virus were found in a turgid urban pond in
Nuremberg in the state of Bavaria.

The health ministry in Saxony state in Germany's east said 3 dead swans
were found in the Frohburg district, south of Leipzig, and a quick test
established they were infected with the dangerous H5N1 virus. Saxony state
had to exterminate a flock of farm birds last year after they caught H5N1.

More tissue tests are being done at Germany's federal animal-disease
laboratory on the Baltic Sea island of Riems.

In Nuremberg, a municipal spokeswoman said none of the other [how many?
since when? - Mod.AS] dead birds in the city apart from the 6 swans had H5N1.

Scientists on Riems are trying to establish if the virus is connected to
outbreaks of avian influenza at a Czech poultry farm and in Hungary. The
disease has not been detected in Germany between August 2006 and its
appearance late last week in Nuremberg.

--
communicated by:
ProMED-mail rapporteur Mary Marshall

[The distance between Leipzig and Nurnberg exceeds 200 km [124 miles].
Confirmation from the OIE reference laboratory in Riems is anticipated, as
well as molecular data on the interrelationship between the recent isolates
from Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, England (as well as the recent
Siberian isolates from wild duck?!). - Mod.AS]

[HenryN]

SPECIALLY: Danger of epidemics bird flu


Beginning of the article
Dead swans



Bird flu also in Saxonia confirms



The Kadaver of a swan at a lake close Saxonian glad castle




The bird flu reached a second German Land of the Federal Republic with Saxonia. In three dead swans the aggressive virus H5N1 was proven - the Friedrich Loeffler institute estimates the risk of a transmission on utilizable poultry however further moderately.

In glad castle south of Leipzig three dead swans were found, with which the aggressive virus H5N1 was proven, how the Friedrich Loeffler institute (FLI) on the island confirmed Riems with grab forest in the Tuesday evening. On weekend in Nuremberg with six dead swans a H5N1-Infektion had been determined. It was first admits become outbreak of the bird flu in Germany since August 2006.

A case of suspicion from Nuremberg is examined still, communicated the FLI. Also in Saxonia a further verendeter swan still one examine, reported the Saxonian Ministry of Health. The number of the game birds in Germany, infected with bird flu, lies thereby at present with nine, of it eight swans and a Canada goose. The bird flu risk remains however unchanged according to Institut.

Moderate transmission risk

“The new cases from Saxonia change however still nothing in our risk evaluation”, said FLI president Thomas Mettenleiter. It remains with a moderate transmission risk of game birds on utilizable poultry. Whether the animal epidemic arises similarly as in the past year strengthened, is still unclear. The researchers want to examine and with viruses from Tschechien and Hungary compare the hereditary property of the viruses from Bavaria and Saxonia more near, in order to experience more over the origin of the exciters.


More to the topic

Comment: Bird flu, next round



Nuremberg: Bird flu suspicion confirms





In a radius of three kilometers around the discovery site of the swans in glad castle a prohibited area was furnished, as the Saxonian Ministry of Health communicated. Within this zone feather/spring cattle in the stable must be held. Dogs are to be led at the line. Cats may not in the free. Utilizable poultry and poultry products may not be brought or out-transported into the prohibited area. The restrictions apply first to 21 days.

Inoculation strategy demanded

Meanwhile FDP and the Greens in the Bundestag demanded an inoculation strategy for poultry. Green parliamentary group vice Bärbel Höhn warned in the news station n-tv of the fact that the stable obligation could make the open land attitude broken. FDP agrarian politician Hans Michael Goldmann required, the Federal Government is to use itself for omission of animals inoculated by trade restrictions for exports. At present the government rejects precautionary inoculating, because inoculated cannot be differentiated yet from infected animals.

In the spring of the previous yearly in Saxonia in Germany the bird flu in a utilizable animal existence had broken out for the first time. Afterwards the illness in numerous Lands of the Federal Republic arose. Thousands of animals of poultry farms had to be killed.


GERMAN PRESS AGENCY


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