Re: Israel: Bird flu Confirmed in Binyamina petting zoo
AVIAN INFLUENZA (08): ISRAEL (H5N1),
A ProMED-mail post
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http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
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In this update:
[1] Israel: OIE, final report
[1] Israel: OIE, final report
Date: Mon 7 Jan 2008
Source: OIE, WAHID (World Animal Health Information Database), weekly
disease information 2008; 21(2) [edited]
<
http://www.oie.int/wahid-prod/public.php?page=single_report&pop=1&reportid=6659>
Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Israel
Information received on (and dated) 7 Jan 2008 from Dr Moshe
Chaimovitz, Director, Veterinary Services and Animal Health, Ministry
of Agriculture and Rural Development, Beit Dagan, Israel
Summary
Report type: follow-up report no. 1 (final report)
Start date: 27 Dec 2007
Date of confirmation of event: 3 Jan 2008
Report date: 7 Jan 2008
Date submitted to OIE: 7 Jan 2008
Date event resolved: 7 Jan 2008
Reason for notification: reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: March 2006
Manifestation of disease: clinical disease
Causal agent: highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, serotype H5N1
Nature of diagnosis: suspicion, clinical, laboratory (basic),
laboratory (advanced), necropsy
Report pertains to: defined zone within the country
Related reports:
1. Immediate notification (3 Jan 2008)
2. Follow-up report no. 1 (7 Jan 2008)
Outbreaks: There are no new outbreaks in this report
Epidemiology
Source of infection: unknown or inconclusive
Epidemiological comments: A 3-km (2 mi)-radius protection zone and a
10-km (6 mi)-radius surveillance zone were set up.
The epidemiological investigation did not reveal evidence of
introduction of new birds into the cage during the 40 days prior to
the outbreak. Apparently, people who were taking care of the pet
birds had no contact with other birds during the 40 days prior to the
outbreak. The birds' feed containers remained closed and there was no
apparent possibility of entrance of wild birds into the feed
containers (which were situated outside the cage).
Sparrows were
abundant in the cage during the feeding of the pet birds.
Increase of monitoring activities of sick and dead wild birds in the zone.
Control measures
Measures already applied
- stamping out
- quarantine
- movement control inside the country
- screening
- disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
- vaccination prohibited
- no treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied: none specified
Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type: Kimron Veterinary Institute (National laboratory)
Tests and results
Species: Birds
Tests: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR): 3 Jan 2008
Result: positive
Virus isolation: 5 Jan 2008
Result: positive
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
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promed@promedmail.org>
[The timely and efficient manner by which this outbreak at Binyamina
(map included in the report) was eradicated, has become possible by
the immediate application of pre-prepared contingency plans; a
significant contribution for its success was the behaviour of the
owner, who called upon a vet immediately when 3 chickens died, and the
response of the vet who involved the laboratory, even though avian
influenza was initially not suspected.
The main puzzling issue in this outbreak the source of infection.
ProMED-mail's posting 20080104.0045 included a moderator's comment
regarding the point in time when 3 hens were introduced from a
broiler breeding flock in Kefar Menachem (south-east Israel; see map
at
<
http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IS/1/Kefar_Menahem.html>).
It seems that the media report cited, according to which the transfer
took place a week before the discovery of the 1st 3 dead chickens,
was inaccurate,
since the follow-up report above says:
"The
epidemiological investigation did not reveal evidence of introduction
of new birds into the cage during the 40 days prior to the outbreak".
This is in line with the epidemiological investigation report of 3
Dec 2007, kindly forwarded to us by the Israeli Veterinary Services,
which indicates that the exact date of the transfer cited above (3
hens) was 20 Nov 2007. Reportedly, the breeding flock of origin was
(routinely) slaughtered during the beginning of December (2007), and
in any case prior to 9 Dec 2007, without observable morbidity or
exceptional mortality.
The epidemiological investigation (carried out commonly by the
Ministries of Agriculture and Health) concludes as follows:
"It is plausible to conclude that the disease was not introduced by
the animals brought from Kefar Menachem. This, in view of the long
time lapse and the fact that no exceptional event was seen in Kefar
Menachem.
No other suspected contacts could be traced, either by birds or by
humans. Since the cage's roof (cover) was impervious, it is not
plausible that droppings from birds flying over the cage could have
entered it.
On the other hand, the free entrance of sparrows, in
large numbers, makes them [a] suspected source."
Hopefully, this will remain a solitary event. Though the source of
infection remains enigmatic, sequencing results and their comparison
with other isolates from the region (
such as, Egypt, Saudi Arabia)
may help in elucidating the route of virus spread. - Mod.AS]
http://tinyurl.com/2jhny5
