New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

[HenryN]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

June 4, 2008


New bird flu outbreak near Banbury 'went undetected for three weeks'



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A local veterinary surgeon was called to Eastwood Farm in the village of Shenington, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, after an increase of mortality in hens in one 3,000-bird shed.
The birds were treated with antibiotics. The owner however raised the alarm on Monday when 10 per cent of his 25,000 flock were found dead. Only then was avian flu suspected.
Government vets are now urgently checking poultry in the neighbourbhood to ascertain whether the disease has already spread to other farms.
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• Scientists identify new strain of bird flu

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• Why bird flu stories aren't all bad news

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<!-- END: Module - M63 - Article Related Attachements --><!-- Call Wide Article Attachment Module --><!--TEMPLATE:call file="wideArticleAttachment.jsp" /-->Veterinary epidemiologists are also tracing all movements of vehicles, people, eggs and birds on and off the farm in the past month to identify the source of the disease.
The most likely theory, owever is that the avian flu virus, identified today as the highly pathogenic H7 strain, was brought on to the farm by an infected wild bird.
The cull of the rest of the birds is now under way.
The risks of H7 to human health are low, unlike the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu virus. However there have been cases in Britain where farm workers have suffered conjunctivitis and flu-like symptoms.
A 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone is in place around the infected premises. Checks are being made on all other poultry farms in the area and keepers have been asked to remain vigilant.
All bird movements and bird gatherings such as markets are banned.
There have been three other cases of H7 avian flu in the UK, on farms in St Helens on Merseyside and near Corwen, north Wales early last summer and in Dereham, Norfolk in May 2006.
The last outbreak of H5N1 in the UK was in wild swans at the Abbotsbury nature reserve in Dorset in the New Year. This popular tourist attraction near Chesil Beach is now open for visitors once more.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4066462.ece

 

[JJackson]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

I know this is all covered elsewhere on the site but as a reminder and for newcomers.

HP & LP technically refers to genetic structure but for our purposes denotes virulence in poultry.
It says little about either ease of transmission or virulence in humans.
Seasonal human flus are LP.
H5N1 comes in both types (as do H7Nx). The H5N1 that has been causing human deaths is HP. In humans H7Nx (inc. the HP form) is normally associated with fairly mild eye infections but has caused more typical ‘flu like illness’ and one death. H7s have generally also shown more human-to-human transmission ability than H5N1 (thankfully).

PS Many of the journalists (especially those working for local papers) know very little about this area and will make errors (please bear with them). Some in authority - who should know better - are making re-assuring statements which often fall in the wishful thinking catagory and are being quoted by the journalists.

 

[HenryN]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

I know this is all covered elsewhere on the site but as a reminder and for newcomers.

HP & LP technically refers to genetic structure but for our purposes denotes virulence in poultry.
It says little about either ease of transmission or virulence in humans.
Seasonal human flus are LP.
H5N1 comes in both types (as do H7Nx). The H5N1 that has been causing human deaths is HP. In humans H7Nx (inc. the HP form) is normally associated with fairly mild eye infections but has caused more typical ?flu like illness? and one death. H7s have generally also show more human-to-human transmission ability than H5N1 (thankfully).

H7N7 was VERY efficiently transmitted H2H

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01060503/Efficient_H7N7.html

Efficient Human to Human Transmission of H7N7 Bird Flu

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica]Recombinomics Commentary[/FONT]
January 6, 2005

>>As at least 50 percent of the people exposed to infected poultry had H7 antibodies detectable with the modified assay, it was estimated that avian influenza A/H7N7 virus infection occurred in at least 1000, and perhaps as many as 2000 people. The seroprevalence of H7 antibodies in people without contact with infected poultry, but with close household contact to an infected poultry worker, was 59 percent. This suggests that the population at risk for avian influenza was not limited to those with direct contact to infected poultry, and that person-to-person transmission may have occurred on a large scale.<<

 

[JJackson]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

H7N7 was VERY efficiently transmitted H2H

Yes I agree but I was trying to keep it general for H7s and as your post shows these were mainly mild but the same outbreak was responsible for the fatality (a Vet.)

Free-range chickens on the farm at the centre of the latest avian flu alert have been infected with the disease for three weeks, The Times has learnt.
A local veterinary surgeon was called to Eastwood Farm in the village of Shenington, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, after an increase of mortality in hens in one 3,000-bird shed.
The birds were treated with antibiotics. The owner however raised the alarm on Monday when 10 per cent of his 25,000 flock were found dead.

What do you make of this? Looks like BC again with an LP infection acquiring mutations to the cleavage site to go HP. I would love to see the before and after sequences (but shall not be holding my breath).

 

[cartski]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

So the worrisome situations are:

H5 acquiring the ease of transmission capabilities of H7;

H7 acquirng the mortality capability of H5 (although I believe there was some discussion that showed that this is impossible).

And the questions is how easily, genetically, could either of these situations arise.

J.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

Yes I agree but I was trying to keep it general for H7s and as your post shows these were mainly mild but the same outbreak was responsible for the fatality (a Vet.)


What do you make of this? Looks like BC again with an LP infection acquiring mutations to the cleavage site to go HP. I would love to see the before and after sequences (but shall not be holding my breath).

It is widely circulation of these viruses that may be alarming: I posted updates for Italy at several times, and A/H7 (N1 or N3) were always involved. The last situation update from IZSVE (OIE Reference Laboratory in Padua) told about an epizootic by A/H7N3 in a poultry seller, earlier this year. Notably, no media coverage for these events.
Clearly, a chain of transmission is maintaned either via fomites or migratory birds, or movement of animals across EU.

 

[HenryN]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/06040802/H7_UK_Transmission.html

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

One should remember that these event AREN'T ISOLATE ONE.

Persistence of A/H7 in animal population across European countries cannot be discounted, thus human exposure to H7 subtype may be wider than expected but no major outbreaks happened so far.

I think that spotted focused attention paid by agricultural watchdogs to these issues do not preclude a better human epidemiological evaluation, including the lack of H7 isolation during seasonal human influenza surveillance.

 

[HenryN]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

One should remember that these event AREN'T ISOLATE ONE.

Persistence of A/H7 in animal population across European countries cannot be discounted, thus human exposure to H7 subtype may be wider than expected but no major outbreaks happened so far.

I think that spotted focused attention paid by agricultural watchdogs to these issues do not preclude a better human epidemiological evaluation, including the lack of H7 isolation during seasonal human influenza surveillance.

Most of the human H7 has been linked to eye infections, which are not tested for influenza.

 

[gsgs]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

no pandemic/epidemic despite much exposure - that's good news.
See H5N1.
The virus might not be capable of sustained h2h.

H7 in poultry was reported back to the 1870s, but no human H7-epidemic
ever.

 

[JJackson]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

Ironorehopper: Also agree in fact it was statements like this

The Health Protection Agency has advised that it is important to remember that H7 avian flu remains largely a disease of birds. The virus does not transmit easily to humans, as evidenced by the small number of confirmed infections worldwide to date. Almost all human H7 infections documented so far have been associated with close contact with dead or dying poultry. The risk to human health posed by H7 avian influenza viruses remains low. Nonetheless, the local Health Protection Unit will be identifying and following up those who may have had contact with the infected poultry and provide guidance and advice, and preventative medication as appropriate.

from DEFRA in post #5 that made me write the PostScript I was adding when Dr. Niman replied to my first post. I was thinking specifically about the H7N7 he referenced and the hospitalisations from last years UK outbreak.
H7 is a serious pandemic candidate its only saving grace is that is not causing the same clinical illness in humans as H5N1.

 

[HenryN]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

Ironorehopper: Also agree in fact it was statements like this


from DEFRA in post #5 that made me write the PostScript I was adding when Dr. Niman replied to my first post. I was thinking specifically about the H7N7 he referenced and the hospitalisations from last years UK outbreak.
H7 is a serious pandemic candidate its only saving grace is that is not causing the same clinical illness in humans as H5N1.

H7 detection is poor. Eye infections are not tested and many respiratory infections have been mild and would not lead to doctor's visits or testing. There has not been any reports of H7 antibody suveillance, other than the reported associated with the H7N7 outbreak.

The detection of H7 via influenza surveillance, is not very sensitive.

 

[JJackson]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

This thread is going too fast for me. I am bashing out my posts in my best 1 finger style and Dr. Niman is writing excellent commentries at lightening speed. But I think we are in agreement that, despite what you read in the press, H7 H2H does occur and while eye infections might be the normal MO serious infection and even death can also occur.

.Commentary

Transmission Concerns for High Path H7 In England
Recombinomics Commentary 16:07
June 4, 2008

As at least 50 percent of the people exposed to infected poultry had H7 antibodies detectable with the modified assay, it was estimated that avian influenza A/H7N7 virus infection occurred in at least 1000, and perhaps as many as 2000 people. The seroprevalence of H7 antibodies in people without contact with infected poultry, but with close household contact to an infected poultry worker, was 59 percent. This suggests that the population at risk for avian influenza was not limited to those with direct contact to infected poultry, and that person-to-person transmission may have occurred on a large scale

From February 18 to June 1, 2004, a total of 77 symptomatic persons were reported to the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control. Fifty-seven had suspected (n = 55) or confirmed (n = 2) avian influenza infections.

An outbreak of the H7 strain of bird flu at a farm in central England is "highly pathogenic", officials said on Wednesday.

All the chickens on the farm have been slaughtered following detection of the virus, which does not pose a high risk to humans, at the farm in Banbury, Oxfordshire late on Tuesday.

The above comments describe high path H7 outbreaks. The H7N7 outbreak in The Netherlands was PCR confirmed in 89 cullers, but H7 antibodies were in more than 1000 contacts. The H7N3 outbreak the following year was linked to 2 confirmed cases but 55 suspected cases. The current case has been confirmed to be high path H7, but details have not been released other than the standard propaganda statement on a lack of human risk or transmission.

This myth is regularly stated by DEFRA and then distributed by the popular press. It has no scientific basis and is support by an insensitive or fatally flawed assay and limited testing.

Recent experiments have demonstrated increase affinity for human receptors, adding additional evidence for the efficient H7 transmission to mammals, including humans. The detection of H7 is poor. The current outbreaks in England and the United States were likely due to wild birds, yet neither surveillance systems detected H7 in wild birds. In the US, the surveillance also failed to detect the H7N3 virus in the birds that developed antibodies.

The outbreak in the United States is assumed to be low path because the infected flocks did not have evidence of disease. However, the low path H7N2 outbreak in England a year ago was also linked to many patients with symptoms. Four of these patients were confirmed, but others had a relatively severe course and were hospitalized, although none were linked to pneumonia and/or death.

Although most of the H7 bird outbreaks have associated confirmed cases, the low sensitivity of the assays raises questions about the extent of spread in humans.

The positive examples above clearly demonstrate that humans are easily infected with H7, and the outbreaks last year clearly show that such infections need not be high path H7.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

Most of the human H7 has been linked to eye infections, which are not tested for influenza.

Sure, I agree. But one should figure the huge amount of poultry in certain zones of Europe, for example Po River plateau, with hundreds of millions of poultry heads.

H7 epizootics recurred for years in this area, and elsewhere in EU.

I think health officials should investigate better seroprevalence among poultry workers, although during seasonal surveillance no abnormal epidemic activity was detected.

Please note the frequency of such H7 epizootics in the abovementioned area (17 / 18 are H7) (http://www.izsvenezie.it/dnn/Portals/0/AI/05_11_Report_Focolai_LPAI.pdf). And confronting this with media coverage of poultry epizootics... So the emergency is rather common...

Attachments: 1, image, phylogenetic tree of a H7 isolate

 

[HenryN]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

Sure, I agree. But one should figure the huge amount of poultry in certain zones of Europe, for example Po River plateau, with hundreds of millions of poultry heads.

H7 epizootics recurred for years in this area, and elsewhere in EU.

I think health officials should investigate better seroprevalence among poultry workers, although during seasonal surveillance no abnormal epidemic activity was detected.

Please note the frequency of such H7 epizootics in the abovementioned area (17 / 18 are H7) (http://www.izsvenezie.it/dnn/Portals/0/AI/05_11_Report_Focolai_LPAI.pdf). And confronting this with media coverage of poultry epizootics... So the emergency is rather common...

Attachments: 1, image, phylogenetic tree of a H7 isolate

H7 in humans is really a detection issue. In the H7N7 outbreak, only three family members were H7 positive by PCR (in addition to the 86 cullers), yet in the antibody assay, hundreds were positive (and these cases had a high suspicion level because of the large number of cullers whi were PCR positive).

 

[HenryN]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

Sure, I agree. But one should figure the huge amount of poultry in certain zones of Europe, for example Po River plateau, with hundreds of millions of poultry heads.

H7 epizootics recurred for years in this area, and elsewhere in EU.

I think health officials should investigate better seroprevalence among poultry workers, although during seasonal surveillance no abnormal epidemic activity was detected.

Please note the frequency of such H7 epizootics in the abovementioned area (17 / 18 are H7) (http://www.izsvenezie.it/dnn/Portals/0/AI/05_11_Report_Focolai_LPAI.pdf). And confronting this with media coverage of poultry epizootics... So the emergency is rather common...

Attachments: 1, image, phylogenetic tree of a H7 isolate

Most of the outbreaks linked above don't even have the full serotype of the H7 in the poultry. I doubt that there was much serious testing on associated humans.

 

[HenryN]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

AVIAN INFLUENZA (71): UK (ENGLAND), H7
**************************************
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 3 Jun 2008
Source: DEFRA News Release Ref: 171/08 [edited]
<http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080603d.htm>


Avian influenza H7 confirmed in Oxfordshire
-------------------------------------------
The Chief Veterinary Officer, Nigel Gibbens, has
today confirmed avian influenza in chickens on
premises near Banbury in Oxfordshire after
preliminary tests were positive for the H7
strain. All birds on the premises will be
slaughtered as a precautionary measure.

Laboratory testing continues and results which
will allow confirmation of whether the strain is
high or low pathogenicity will follow. A detailed
epidemiological investigation to better
understand the origin and development of the disease is underway.

A Temporary Control Zone with a 3km [1.86-mile]
inner zone and a 10km [6.2-mile] outer zone is
being established around the Infected Premises [a
map is available at the above URL]. A number of
measures apply. All birds must be housed or
otherwise isolated from contact with wild birds
in the inner zone. Bird gatherings are banned and
all other movements of birds and some products
are banned in the whole of the Temporary Control
Zone. DEFRA is urgently considering whether any wider measures may be needed.

Nigel Gibbens said: "I would stress the need for
poultry keepers to be extremely vigilant,
practice the highest levels of biosecurity and
report any suspicions of disease to their local
Animal Health Office immediately."

The Health Protection Agency has advised that it
is important to remember that H7 avian flu
remains largely a disease of birds. The virus
does not transmit easily to humans, as evidenced
by the small number of confirmed infections
worldwide to date. Almost all human H7 infections
documented so far have been associated with close
contact with dead or dying poultry. The risk to
human health posed by H7 avian influenza viruses
remains low. Nonetheless, the local Health
Protection Unit will be identifying and following
up those who may have had contact with the
infected poultry and provide guidance and advice,
and preventative medication as appropriate.

Dr. Judith Hilton, Food Standards Agency head of
microbiological safety, said: "This case of bird
flu on a premises in Banbury, Oxfordshire, poses
no safety implications for the human food chain.
Properly cooked poultry and poultry products,
including eggs, are safe to eat. The science
shows that the virus isn't contracted by eating
food ­-- but usually by close contact with infected birds."

All poultry keepers on the GB Poultry Register
are being notified, and the EU Commission has been informed.

Notes to editors
----------------
1. Avian Influenza is a disease of birds. Whilst
it can pass very rarely and with difficulty to
humans, this requires extremely close contact
with infected birds, particularly faeces.

2. Advice from the Food Standards Agency remains
that properly cooked poultry and poultry
products, including eggs, are safe to eat. People
should follow the Agency's normal food hygiene
advice in relation to handling eggs and raw
poultry meat in the kitchen. People should not
eat raw eggs or use raw eggs in dishes that will
not be cooked. Eggs should be cooked until the
whites are solid. People at particular risk of
salmonella should continue to cook eggs until the
yolks are solid. People should also ensure that
poultry meat is cooked to the point where the
juices run clear and there are no red parts in
the meat. The H7 virus is destroyed by cooking thoroughly.

3. All avian influenzas (H1 to H16) can be low
pathogenic but only H5 and H7 are known to have
the potential to become highly pathogenic.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[Details on the housing and husbandry mode
applied on the affected farm as well as
epidemiological and clinical observations will be
helpful. Laboratory results, addressing the
pathogenicity and genetic lineage of the isolate, are anticipated.

Avian H7 influenza viruses from both the Eurasian
and North American lineage have caused outbreaks
in poultry since 2002, with confirmed human
infection occurring during outbreaks in The
Netherlands, British Columbia, and the United
Kingdom.

The most publicised case was recorded in the Netherlands during an
extensive epizootic of HPAI H7N7 virus on commercial poultry farms,
between March and May 2003. One case involved fatal respiratory
distress syndrome in a veterinarian who was in close contact with
infected poultry -- see ProMED ref. below. Reportedly, 86 cases in
poultry workers and 3 cases in people with no poultry
contact were initially confirmed by PCR.

The majority of H7 infections have resulted in
self-limiting conjunctivitis, whereas probable
human-to-human transmission has been rare.
Subscribers are referred to a recent paper,
titled "Contemporary North American influenza H7
viruses possess human receptor specificity:
Implications for virus transmissibility," which
has been presented and discussed in posting 20080527.1728. - Mod.AS]

[see also:
Avian influenza H7 - North America: human receptor 20080527.1728
Avian influenza (66): Japan, swan, Denmark, LPAI H7, OIE 20080430.1484
Avian influenza (65): Japan, swan, Denmark, LPAI, H7 20080429.1479
Avian influenza (27): Bulgaria, wild duck, H7, OIE 20080203.0437
Avian influenza (25) - Bulgaria, wild duck, H7 20080202.0415
2007
----
Avian influenza (177): S. Korea, LPAI H7, susp. 20071124.3797
Avian influenza, poultry vs migratory birds (35): H7 20070902.2887
2006
----
Avian influenza (170) - Netherlands, LPAI H7 20060805.2160
Avian influenza - worldwide (99): UK H7, Germany 20060427.1226
Avian influenza, H7, poultry - Lebanon: RFI 20060402.0988
Avian influenza, H7 - North Korea (02): OIE 20050408.1
2005
----
Avian influenza, human - Netherlands: seroprevalence 20050106.0034
2003
----
Avian influenza, human - Netherlands (10): fatal case 20030420.0967]
....................arn/ejp/jw

 

[gsgs]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

The RSPB said it was "exceedingly unlikely" that
wild birds would be implicated in the new outbreak



http://blogs.rspb.org.uk/birdflu/archive/2008/06/04/H7-avian-influenza-in-Oxfordshire.aspx

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

Most of the outbreaks linked above don't even have the full serotype of the H7 in the poultry. I doubt that there was much serious testing on associated humans.

Obvious. There are veterinarians not medics, although strict collaboration is established. We are one of the greatest poultry producers in EU and without proper surveillance no one chicken survived to continuing avian influenza exposure.

The point is: epizootics by H7 strains are more common that usually stated by the media sources.

There is an ongoing circulation of these viruses among poultry and wild birds and thus epizootics recurrence isn't a news at all.

Human exposure isnt' an exception event but perhaps is common.

One should emphasize this to put in the correct perspective the acutal events.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: New case of H7 bird flu in Oxfordshire

The RSPB said it was "exceedingly unlikely" that
wild birds would be implicated in the new outbreak

It is unlikely that the virus wasn't shed by wild birds. The ISZVE phylogenetic tree demonstrate how common is this virus among wild population almost in N Italy.