AR-News: (UK) Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the US

[Animalara2003 at aol.com]

Description of affected population: chickens. No biosecurity measures had 
been applied on the affected production unit.
Total number of animals in the outbreak:
speciessusceptiblecasesdeathsdestroyedslaughtered
aviapprox. 6,600......approx. 6,6000

Diagnosis: the infection was detected under the routine State monitoring 
programme for avian influenza.
A. Laboratory where diagnosis was made: Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic 
Laboratory.
Further testing (DNA sequencing and pathogenicity studies) is being conducted 
at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.
B. Diagnostic tests used: serological agar-gel immunodiffusion test and 
real-time PCR(1) testing.
C. Causal agent: avian influenza virus strain H5N2. Pathogenicity details are 
pending. While DNA sequence analysis shows a string of multiple basic amino 
acids at the haemagglutinin cleavage site, which is consistent with one of the 
OIE definitions of high pathogenicity (see Manual of Standards for Diagnostic 
Tests and Vaccines, OIE, 2000), the inoculation studies in 4- to 8-week-old 
chickens have not resulted in any unusual mortality.
Epidemiology:
A. Source of agent / origin of infection: unknown at this time.
B. Other epidemiological details:
- Birds raised on the premises were being sold to supply the live bird 
markets in metropolitan areas (Houston).
- Poultry premises within a 16-km radius of the index case are being sampled 
and tested. To date, the premises tested within this radius are negative for 
avian influenza.
Control measures:
- stamping-out;
- quarantine;
- movement control inside the country;
- screening;
- surveillance.
(1) PCR: polymerase chain reaction
Note by the OIE Animal Health Information Department: The USDA has confirmed 
that the H5N2 strain of avian influenza in a flock of chickens in Texas is 
highly pathogenic.





full story:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/LatestNews/Default.asp?AREA=LatestNews&Display=6
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