Avian Influenza News

• Deadly H5N1 bird flu virus detected in wild swan found dead in Hokkaido, Japan published on May 05, 2008
  A dead swan found on the Notsuke Peninsula in northern Hokkaido has tested positive for H5N1.
• Japan OIE Immediate Notification Report. 4/29/08. published on May 05, 2008
  H5N1 has been found in four swans near lake Towada, Akita Prefecture, in Japan.
• Transmission of avian influenza virus (H3N2) to dogs published on Apr 02, 2008
  Strains of H3N2 viruses of avian origin were shown by researchers to be able to infect dogs in South Korea. This raises the possibility 'that dogs may play a role in interspecies transmission and spread of influenza virus' in a similar manner to pigs.
• Switzerland detects first bird flu case in two years published on Mar 27, 2008
  A 'duck' that showed no signs of illness has tested positive for H5N1 in Sempachersee (Lake Sempach), near Lucern, Switzerland.
• Bird Flu Scientists Say Mallards May Carry Virus Long Distances published on Mar 24, 2008
  Experimental infections in six species of wild birds show varying susceptibility to H5N1. The authors suggest mallards as a possible species that combines susceptibilty and absence of clinical symptoms and thus may be able to disseminate the virus over long distances.
• AVIAN INFLUENZA (47): VIET NAM, CIVET published on Mar 17, 2008
  A description of the H5N1 outbreak in civets in Vietnam is provided by Leanne Clark, the veterinarian at the affected Cuc Phuong National Park.
• HK bird tests positive for deadly flu strain published on Mar 14, 2008
  A sick peregrine falcon, which died soon after collection, has tested positive for H5N1 in Ma Wan, Hong Kong SAR.
• Hong Kong wild bird tests positive for H5N1 published on Mar 07, 2008
  An Oriental magpie robin, found dead in the Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve has tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza.
• Flu Virus Research Yields Results but No Magic Bullet for Pandemic (subscription required) published on Mar 06, 2008
  A white-faced whistling duck (Dendrocygna viduata) infected with a strain of H5N2 (where sequencing suggests that it would be pathogenic to chickens) was found to be capable of migrating over 650 km.
• H5N1 in Canada Goose - 11th case in wild bird published on Mar 06, 2008
  A Canada goose (Branta canadensis) found dead on Feb 25 has tested positive for H5N1, less then 1 km from the Abbotsbury Swannery where previous H5N1 outbreaks have been confirmed.
• Migratory birds not main source of bird flu published on Feb 19, 2008
  The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Pakistan said that migratory birds are not the main source of bird flu outbreaks in that country.
• Dead grey heron H5N1-positive published on Feb 14, 2008
  A dead grey heron found in Lok Ma Cahu last Friday (Feb 8), has tested positive for H5N1. This is the third wild bird that has tested positive for H5N1 this year in the territories.
• Who is spreading avian flu? published on Feb 07, 2008
  Yevgeny Kuznetsov, at the Wild Animal Protection Center in Russia points out that the pattern of H5N1 outbreaks, which includes 12 countries in 2008, is best explained by the dissemination by infected poultry and that the pattern and distribution of outbreaks do not follow migratory routes.
• Bird flu spreads to urban Bangladesh, officials say published on Feb 06, 2008
  Bird flu has spread to urban Bangladesh. Officials say "dozens" of crows that died over the last two days in the capital city of Dhaka has tested positive for H5N1 and in the port city of Chittagong, where bird flu was detected in crows last week, further crows and poultry farms have tested positive.
• Hong Kong closes bird sanctuary for 3 weeks after suspected bird flu death nearby published on Feb 06, 2008
  Hong Kong closes bird sanctuary for three weeks after suspected bird flu death nearby. The Mai Po bird sanctuary will be closed to the public for three weeks following a suspected bird flu related death in a great egret (Casmerodius albus).
• Turkey detects bird flu virus in poultry published on Feb 04, 2008
  A possible bird flu outbreak in a village near Samsun on the Black Sea coast has been blamed on wild birds by the Agriculture Ministry.
• Bird flu spreads in Bangladesh, port city on alert published on Feb 04, 2008
  The port city of Chittagong has been put on high alert following the detection of H5N1 in dead crows.
• Two more dead swans had bird flu published on Feb 04, 2008
  Two additional swans, found dead on Jan 28, have tested positive for H5N1 in Dorset, UK. A total of nine swans have been affected in an outbreak that has lasted for over a month at the Abbotsbury Swannery.
• Dead bird H5N1-positive published on Feb 04, 2008
  A black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) found dead on Jan 28 at Ocean Park in Hong Kong has tested positive for H5N1. The bird is not part of the Park's aviary collection, which is regularly tested for bird flu.
• Ocean Park closes aviaries after suspected bird flu case published on Jan 31, 2008
  A wild black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) that was found dead at Ocean Park, a popular theme park in Hong Kong, has tested positive for H5 avian influenza. Further tests are in progress to determine if the virus strain is H5N1.
• Wild birds infected domestic swans with avian influenza in England published on Jan 31, 2008
  While the source of the H5N1 outbreak in the swannery at Abbotsbury cannot be determined with certainty, a report from Defra states that introduction by wild birds is the most likely hypothesis.
• Thousands of Miles From Home, and Possibly Carrying Avian Flu published on Jan 29, 2008
  In a study of bird migration and possibly H5N1 spread, a bar-headed goose that was marked last summer at Darkhad Valley in northern Mongolia has been found to have migrated 3,900 miles to Somnathpur, near the tip of the Indian subcontinent.
• Bangladesh bird flu situation alarming, says science adviser published on Jan 28, 2008
  Large numbers of crows have died from bird flu in Bangladesh; possibly caused by consuming improperly diisposed infected chickens.
• Indonesia - swallows as vectors published on Jan 25, 2008
  A commentrary posted to ProMED notes that while media and local people were quick to suspect swallows, possibly cave swiftlets, Collocalia fuciphaga, being raised for their edible nests at a farm in Riau province near a human H5N1 case, was the source of the infection in the absence of concrete information. However, when geese in the village were found to be infected, there was no follow-up in the news media. The author, who is a physician in the area, said: "There is a quickness to reach a cause or diagnosis, then stick to that despite data to the contrary."
• Don't blame wild birds for H5N1 spread published on Jan 23, 2008
  Experts meeting at bird flu conference in Bangkok said that there is no solid evidence that wild birds spread the bird flu virus from Asia to the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
• Bird flu spotted in poultry in northern Turkey published on Jan 22, 2008
  A hunter of wild birds, who also owns a farm where H5N1 was detected in Turkey, may have introduced the virus to his flock.
• Bird flu virus confirmed after deaths at Dorset swannery published on Jan 10, 2008
  Three mute swans found dead at a nature reserve in the south of England has tested positive for H5N1 and Dr Mark Avery, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) director of conservation, said: "The circumstances are consistent with the disease arriving in wild birds."
• China says latest bird flu outbreak under control published on Jan 08, 2008
  Chinese official blames mild winter and decreased migration of wild birds to have contributed to the increased risk of bird flu in Turpan.
• Wild birds might be involved in bird flu death in Vietnam published on Jan 03, 2008
  The most recent human case in Vietnam might have been infected following contact with wild birds.
• Wild birds and Avian Influenza: An introduction to applied field research and disease sampling techniques published on Dec 22, 2007
  The UN Food and Agriculture Organization has developed a field manual on the development of wild bird surveillance techniques.
• Hong Kong bird reserve closed after H5N1 case published on Dec 14, 2007
  A grey heron found sick on 12/5 near the Mai Po Nature Reserve and subsequently died has tested positive for H5N1 and prompted authorities to temporarily close public access to the reserve.
• Researcher Doubts U.S. Program to Track Avian Flu in Wild Birds published on Dec 13, 2007
  According to the press release: "The KU researcher said that the Alaskan focus of the program is sensible for monitoring a set of wild Asian birds that spend winter in Asia and sometimes summer in Alaska. But other birds possibly carrying the avian influenza could be overlooked."
• H5N1 in wild and domestic birds in Europe -- remaining vigilant in response to an ongoing public health threat published on Dec 11, 2007
  A review of the 2006 and 2007 wild bird surveillance program in the European Union and the continued outrbeaks in poultry in the region suggests "the possibility of other routes of entry into domestic poultry, such as through trade in poultry products, or via fomites."
• Little egret confirmed H5N1-positive published on Dec 10, 2007
  A second little egret has been confirmed to be infected with H5N1 at a park in Hong Kong.
• Deadly H5N1 bird flu found on Polish turkey farms published on Dec 03, 2007
  Poland's chief veterinary officer Ewa Lech said H5N1 was most likely brought to Poland by migrating ducks, geese or swans.
• H5N1 report suspects wild birds published on Dec 03, 2007
  Wild birds remain a possble source of the H5N1 in the outbreak in Suffolk, UK.
• Romania says Bird flu brought in by migratory birds published on Nov 29, 2007
  The National Sanitary Veterinary and Animal Safety Authority has announced that H5N1 found in poultry in Romania this week originated from wild birds. Testing of wild birds will begin.
• Wild birds not ruled out as UK bird flu source published on Nov 29, 2007
  Fred Landeg, the Chief Veterinary Officer in the U. K. said that the source of H5N1 in the latest outbreak remains unclear and while none of the wild birds tested have been positive, they could not be ruled out at present.
• Hong Kong finds egret with bird flu in city park published on Nov 24, 2007
  A moribund Little Egret found in the New Territories in Hong Kong has tested positive for H5N1.
• Local falcons remain free from bird flu risk published on Nov 24, 2007
  A wild Saker falcon, part of a group of birds imported from Central Asia, was admitted to a veterinary hospital in Riyadh and has tested positive for H5N1.