Iran: bird flu outbreak in poultry confirmed - H5N1

[Dutchy]

The below article is from a Turkish web site, the site is about fast consumable goods industry so should be reliable.

In summary : It is heard from local Iranian newspaper "Itımad" that the H5N1 has entered the country from the north and is spreading among winged animals.

All these claims are denied by Iranian health ministry but they also speak of "blood samples" sent to Italy.

There are also reported mass cullings in the country and the local laws mandate all animals to be culled should 10% of them die for any cause

http://www.perakende.org/news_detay.aspx?id=11882

26.12.2007 08:15:00

İran`da Kuş Gribi Alarmı

İran"ın başkenti Tahran çevresindeki bazı çiftliklerde tavukların itlaf edildiği iddialarının ardından, Doğu Azerbaycan ve Zincan eyaletlerinde de itlaf çalışmalarının sürdüğü bildirildi.

İran resmi makamları, ülkede kuş gribi salgınının olduğuna ilişkin haberleri yalanlarken, İtimad gazetesi bugün ismi açıklanmayan bir veterinere dayandırdığı haberinde, kuş gribi hastalığının kuzeyden İran"a girdiğini ve şu an başka eyaletlere ilerlediğini iddia etti. Öte yandan İran Parlamentosu Sağlık Komisyonu üyesi Hüseyn Ali Şehriyari gazeteye verdiği demeçte, itlaf edilen tavukların hiçbirinde kuş gribi belirtisi olmamasına rağmen, kan örneklerin İtalya"ya gönderildiğini belirtti. Yasalar gereği, bir tavuk çiftliğinde tavukların yüzde onunun ölmesi halinde, çiftlikteki tavukların tümünün itlaf edildiğini hatırlatan Şehriyari, son günlerde gerçekleştirilen itlaf işlemlerinin yasadan kaynaklandığını ifade etti.

Gazete haberinde, İran Veterinerlik Kurumu yetkililerinin şüpheli vakaları yok etmeye çalıştıkları belirtilirken, Tahran"dan sonra İran"ın Doğu Azerbaycan ve Zincan eyaletlerindeki bazı çiftliklerde de tavuk ve yumurtaların imha edilmeye başladığını yazdı.

credits Oric

[Sally Furniss]

December 25

Originally Posted by niman

[Theresa42]

Google-translated from Arabic:

TEHRAN: Iran stresses of precautionary and preventive actions against bird flu
Tehran / 30 in December / IRNA

The head of Nader veterinary medicine Mojtaba visiting today, Sunday, stressed that Iran from preventive and precautionary procedures against bird flu during the current year.

The visiting the statements made by journalists, that 54 samples suspected safety of avian influenza had been examined in the country and increased surveillance of the disease by 211 percent during the first nine months of this year compared to the corresponding period of last year.

He noted that 70 countries in the world, said the World Organization for livestock health and injuries of this disease on its territory and that Iran also found injuries on the disease in wild birds.

He, the 47 countries announced their finding of the disease among poultry on its territory.

Referring to send new samples from suspected cases of acute safety of avian influenza to Italy for examination accurately had been received an official response from the country so far.

A retired head of veterinary medicine to destroy poultry in some production units in the country that was in the context of the precautionary and preventive in dealing with suspected cases, and this does not mean finding injuries peremptory this disease.

http://www2.irna.ir/ar/news/view/lin...4444193716.htm

[Treyfish]

Avian Flu Tests Negative

Some 54,000 samples taken from migratory birds in the wetlands and habitats show no cases of avian flu.

Head of State Veterinary Organization said no domestic birds have been tested positive for avian flu until now.
Mojtaba Norouzi told reporters late Sunday that the World Health Organization has listed 70 countries in which cases of bird flu have been reported and domestic birds in 47 of these states have been tested positive for avian flu, MNA wrote.
“Iran appears on the list of countries in which bird flu has been reported because of the outbreak of the disease among wild swans in Bandar Anzali International Wetland. No domesticated bird has been identified with the virulent virus.“
Norouzi warned residents of the northern provinces not to hunt fowls, adding that 54,000 samples taken from migratory birds in the wetlands and habitats show no cases of avian flu.
He noted that cases of bird flu are reported in neighboring states, the organization would cull poultries in places where birds have been detected with suspicious respiratory diseases.
This is in line with precautionary measures taken by the organization and compensations would be paid to owners, the official added.
Bronchitis and other respiratory infections reported in regions in Tehran provinces led to the culling of birds, he said, adding that samples would be sent to Italy for laboratory test.
http://www.iran-daily.com/1386/3030/...my.htm#s283761

[sharon sanders]

Hat tip to FLA MEDIC:



Samples Sent to Italy for Bird Flu Tests

No poultry have so far tested positive for avian flu.

Head of State Veterinary Organization said samples of wild and domestic birds which perished following suspicious respiratory infections resembling bird flu have been sent to Italy for tests. The action was delayed due to New Year holidays, he added.
Mojtaba Norouzi told ISNA on Friday that the birds perished in the vicinity of Anzali International Wetland in Gilan province and an unnamed wetland in Mazandaran province.
The organization would cull poultries in places where birds with suspicious respiratory diseases have been detected. This is in line with precautionary measures taken by the organization and compensations would be paid to owners.
Meanwhile, he said no poultry have so far tested positive for avian flu and people can eat eggs and hens without anxiety.
Norouzi told ISNA that the advice of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education to exercise caution does not mean that the disease has tested positive across the country.
Iran appears on the list of countries in which bird flu has been reported because of the outbreak of the disease among wild swans in Anzali Wetland. No poultry has been identified with the virus.

http://www.iran-daily.com/1386/3036/...my.htm#s285687

[HenryN]

Updated map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...2&t=h&z=5&om=0

[HenryN]

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01...1_Iran_WB.html

[HenryN]

Iran bans hunting of birds to prevent bird flu outbreak

Sun Jan 13, 2008 8:49am EST
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran has banned bird hunting in its southwestern province to prevent the possible outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu, the official IRNA news agency said on Sunday.
"We haven't seen a case yet, but hunting wild birds has been banned to minimize risk of spread of avian influenza," IRNA quoted a statement published by Khuzestan's Environment Organisation office.
With thousands of migratory geese, ducks and other wildfowl heading for the province for the winter, local authorities are on high alert, the statement said, adding violators will be punished.
Iran's neighbors Turkey, Iraq and Azerbaijan have all reported deaths from the H5N1 virus but Tehran says it has so far found no human cases.
(Writing by Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Ibon Villelabeitia)

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNe...34418820080113

[Dutchy]

OIE report

Start date 10/12/2007
Date of confirmation of event 12/12/2007
Report date 16/01/2008
Date submitted to OIE 16/01/2008

Serotype H5N1

Outbreak 1 Darzi Naghib, Babolsar, MAZANDARAN

Date of start of outbreak 10/12/2007

Outbreak status Continuing (or date resolved not submitted)

Epidemiological unit Village

Affected animals

Species Bird

Susceptible 489

Cases 14

Deaths 14

Destroyed 475

http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public...&reportid=6685

[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01...1_Iran_WB.html

Commentary

Suspect H5N1 in Wild and Domestic Birds in Iran

Recombinomics Commentary 16:11
January 11, 2008

Head of State Veterinary Organization said samples of wild and domestic birds which perished following suspicious respiratory infections resembling bird flu have been sent to Italy for tests. The action was delayed due to New Year holidays, he added.

Mojtaba Norouzi told ISNA on Friday that the birds perished in the vicinity of Anzali International Wetland in Gilan province and an unnamed wetland in Mazandaran province.

The above comments suggest that H5N1 has been found in Iran. Earlier reports had suggested H5N1 had been found in Iran, but official statements denied the reports. However, the findings of dead waterfowl in wetland regions along the shores of the Caspian Sea (see satellite map) point toward H5N1.

Similarly H5N1 has been confirmed in areas near the black sea in Romania, Krasnodar, and Rostov. Samples sent to Italy for tests usually have produced an initial positive locally, or are from birds with clinical signs consistent with H5N1 infections.

Updates on the results from Italy would be useful. H5N1 was confirmed in Iran in 2006.

.

[HenryN]

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01...Confirmed.html

[AlaskaDenise]

Originally Posted by niman

Commentary at

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01...Confirmed.html

Commentary

H5N1 Confirmed in Domestic Poultry in Iran

Recombinomics Commentary 00:11
January 17, 2008

H5N1 has been confirmed in Iran. Today’s OIE report describes the outbreak as free range chickens in Mazandaran (see satellite map). The report is silent on wild birds which were also dying in the area as well as Anzali International Wetlands in Gilan province.

The positive result was not a surprise. The birds had died with H5N1 symptoms and samples had been sent to Italy for verification. Earlier, Azerbaijan had banned poultry from Iran, based on reports of dead birds and culling.

However, since H5N1 has now been confirmed north and south of Azerbaijan, it is likely that H5N1 is there and has spread throughout the Middle East.

Details on test on the wild birds, and sequence data from the H5N1 in the domestic poultry would be useful.

.

[HenryN]

OIE: Iran reports H5N1 bird flu outbreak

The Associated Press
Thursday, January 17, 2008
PARIS: Iran has reported an outbreak of deadly H5N1 bird flu among free-range chickens, the World Organisation for Animal Health said Thursday.
The outbreak on Dec. 10 was not reported to the Paris-based body until Wednesday, it said.
Iran reported that 14 birds were infected and that another 475 were destroyed, said the animal health organization, also known as the OIE. It is an intergovernmental body responsible for improving animal health worldwide.
The OIE has been at the forefront of global efforts to monitor and fight H5N1, which scientists have tracked because they fear it may mutate into a human flu virus that starts a pandemic.
The outbreak was in Mazandaran province on the Caspian Sea, the OIE said.
It said investigations are under way to trace the source of the infection and its "probable spread."

http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=9287603

[HenryN]

Iran detects new bird flu outbreak
55 minutes ago


Iranian veterinary authorities have detected a new outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus among migratory and indigenous birds in the north of the country, the ISNA news agency reported on Friday.
"The strain of highly pathogenic bird flu that had been detected among migratory swans in ponds at Anzali has been discovered among wild geese and ducks around lakes in Barzanghib and among local birds," veterinary chief Mojtaba Norouzi was quoted as saying.
"All the chickens in the neighbouring village have been destroyed," Norouzi said, adding a warning against people hunting birds in the area.
Norouzi said no cases of bird flu had been found among farm birds.
The first instance to which Norouzi referred was in February 2006, when bird flu was found in a group of 135 wild swans found around lakes in Anzali in Gilan province.
In May the same year, two people showing symptoms of bird flu died in the western province of Kermanshah.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080118...3r1mmv_YGbOrgF

[HenryN]

The wetlands of Iran constitute vital staging and wintering areas for millions of migratory waterfowl using the West Siberian-Caspian-East African and Central Siberian-Indus-South Asian flyways, and also support large breeding populations of many species. Several million waterfowl utilize the wetlands as wintering habitat, while perhaps as many birds again use the wetlands as staging areas on their way to and from wintering areas further to the southwest or southeast. The wetlands of Iran are very important for seven species of birds listed as globally threatened in the 1994 IUCN List of Threatened Animals (Groombridge, 1993), namely Pygmy Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pygmaeus), Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus), Lesser White-fronted Goose (Anser erythropus), Marbled Teal (Marmaronetta angustirostris), White-headed Duck (Oxyura leucocephala), White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and Siberian Crane (Grus leucogeranus). A further four threatened species formerly occurred in significant numbers, but are now only scarce passage migrants or vagrants, namely Red-breasted Goose (Branta ruficollis), Pallas' Sea-Eagle (Haliaeetus leucoryphus), Sociable Plover (Chettusia gregaria) and Slender-billed Curlew (Numenius tenuirostris). The status of three of the globally threatened species, Marmaronetta angustirostris, Oxyura leucocephala and Numenius tenuirostris, within Iran and throughout their world ranges has recently been summarized by Green (1993), Anstey (1989) and Gretton (1991), respectively.

http://www.earthscape.org/r1/ES15056/scd01h.html

[HenryN]

H5N1 bird flu virus hits ducks, geese in N. Iran
18 Jan 2008 13:36:00 GMT
Source: Reuters



TEHRAN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The deadly H5N1 bird flu virus has been found in ducks and geese in northern Iran after affecting swans there, but no human cases have been reported, an official was quoted on Friday as saying.
H5N1 is the bird flu strain that scientists worry could mutate into a form easily passed between humans. Iran first reported H5N1 in 2006, when the virus was found in wild swans in the northern province of Mazandaran.
"Laboratory tests ... confirmed that Iran's wild and native birds had the H5N1 bird flu virus," the student news agency ISNA quoted Mojtaba Norouzi, head of Iran's Veterinary Organisation, as saying.
"The virus first seen in wild swans in the area ... has been found among native ducks and geese around the northern village of Barzanghib in Iran's Mazandaran province."
Norouzi said the situation was under control and authorities had culled all birds in the village. With thousands of migratory geese, ducks and other wildfowl heading for the province for the winter, local authorities are on high alert, he said.
(Writing by Parisa Hafezi, Editing by Timothy Heritage)

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HAF856966.htm

[HenryN]

Bird Flu Cases Detected


State Veterinary Organization has announced that migratory and indigenous birds have tested positive for H5N1 bird flu virus.
“Avian flu, earlier reported for migratory swans in the Anzali International Wetland in northern Iran, has been detected among geese, ducks and domestic hens in Barzanghib village near the wetland,“ the Organization’s chief, Mojtaba Norouzi told ISNA Friday.
“Laboratory tests in Italy confirmed that Iran’s wild and native birds had been infected by the H5N1 bird flu virus.“
The Organization culled domestic birds of the village to prevent the outbreak of the deadly virus in the vicinity of the wetland, he said, urging locals to avoid hunting.
H5N1 is the bird flu strain that scientists worry could mutate into a form easily passed to humans.
With thousands of migratory geese, ducks and other wildfowl heading for the province for the winter, local authorities are on high alert, he said.
The official had earlier told the news agency that the organization destroys any poultry in places where birds have been detected with suspicious respiratory diseases.
Iran had officially announced an outbreak of bird flu among migratory birds in late 2005.
It was reported last week that Indonesia and Iran reached a tentative deal to co-produce bird flu vaccines.

http://www.iran-daily.com/1386/3042/...my.htm#s287277

[Treyfish]

01/19/08
Bird flu cases found in northern Iran
Press TV - Iran's Veterinary Organization has announced migratory and indigenous birds have tested positive for the virulent H5N1 bird flu virus. "Avian flu, earlier reported among migratory swans in the International Anzali Wetland in northern Iran, has been detected among geese, ducks and domestic hens in Barzanghib village near the wetland," the Organization's chief, Mojtaba Norouzi told ISNA. The Organization culled domestic birds of the village to ward off an outbreak of the deadly virus in the vicinity of the wetland, he said, urging locals to avoid hunting. The official had earlier told the news agency that the Organization destroys any poultry in places where birds have been discovered with suspicious respiratory diseases. Iran had officially announced an outbreak of bird flu among migratory birds in late 2005. It was reported last week that Indonesia and Iran reached a tentative deal to co-produce bird flu vaccines. http://www.payvand.com/news/08/jan/1176.html

[HenryN]

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01...Confirmed.html