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UPDATE 1-Low-pathogenic bird flu strikes Tennessee chickens Thu Mar 9, 2017 10:52pm GMT Print | Single Page [-] Text [+] (Adds that birds were culled, USDA comment, background) By Tom Polansek CHICAGO, March 9 (Reuters) - A commercial chicken flock in Tennessee has been culled after becoming infected with low-pathogenic bird flu, the state's agriculture department said on Thursday, days after a more dangerous form of the disease killed poultry in a neighboring county. Authorities killed chickens at the site in Giles County, Tennessee, "as a precaution," and buried them, according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. It said officials did not believe birds at the site sickened chickens infected with highly pathogenic flu in Lincoln County last week, or vice versa. Highly pathogenic bird flu is often fatal for domesticated poultry and led to the deaths of about 50 million birds, mostly egg-laying hens, in the United States in 2014 and 2015. Low-pathogenic flu is less serious and can cause coughing, depression and other symptoms in birds. The highly pathogenic case in Tennessee was the first such infection in a commercial U.S. operation in more than a year and heightened fears among chicken producers that the disease may return. The spread of highly pathogenic flu would represent a financial blow for poultry operators because it would kill more birds or require flocks to be culled. It also would trigger more import bans from other countries, after South Korea, Japan and other nations limited imports because of the case in Lincoln County. Jack Shere, chief veterinary officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said in an interview that there was speculation that the highly pathogenic virus found in Tennessee shared similar characteristics with a low-pathogenic virus that circulated in Tennessee, Kentucky, Minnesota and Illinois in 2009. Wild migratory birds can carry flu viruses without showing symptoms and spread them to poultry through feces or feathers or other contact. "This virus can mutate very easily so low-pathogenic issues are just as important - when they are circulating among the wild birds - as the high-pathogenic issues," Shere said. Both cases in Tennessee were located along the state's southern border near Alabama, one of the country's top producers of "broiler" chickens for meat. The cases also were both in facilities for breeding chickens for broilers and involved the H7N9 strain, according to Tennessee's agriculture department. In Lincoln County, all 73,500 birds there were killed by the disease or suffocated with foam to prevent its spread. H7N9 is the same name as a strain of the virus that has killed people in China. The USDA and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said the Tennessee virus is genetically distinct from the one in China, though. "Obviously we're all on a heightened alert," said Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council, a trade group. Low pathogenic bird flu also was recently found on a turkey farm in Wisconsin. (Additional reporting by Mark Weinraub in Washington, D.C.; Editing by G Crosse and Richard Chang) http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL2N1GM272?sp=true

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Report date : 2017-03-09 17:30:43 Country : Romania Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-09 17:23:27 Country : Vietnam Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-08 00:00:00 Country : United States of America Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-08 00:00:00 Country : Netherlands Disease: : Low pathogenic avian influenza (poultry) View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-09 11:55:50 Country : Romania Disease: : Bovine spongiform encephalopathy View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-08 18:34:00 Country : Cote D'Ivoire Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

March 8, 2017 - UPDATE from the TN Department of Agriculture: No additional poultry within the surveillance area have shown signs of illness. All samples from poultry within the surveillance area have tested negative for HPAI. The surveillance zone is a 10 mile radius of the affected facility. The control/quarantine zone is a 10 km radius of the affected facility. For testing of backyard poultry flocks, only those within the control/quarantine zone will be sampled. The investigation continues to determine the source of the virus. - See more at: https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/article/ag-businesses-avianinfluenza#sthash.6rFuLKI5.dpuf

CDC: Outbreak of North American avian influenza A(H7N9) in poultry poses low risk to people Recommend on FacebookTweet Media Statement For Immediate Release: Wednesday, March 8, 2017 Contact: Media Relations, (404) 639-3286 CDC: Outbreak of North American avian influenza A(H7N9) in poultry poses low risk to people CDC is working closely with USDA APHIS and the Tennessee Department of Health to minimize any human health risk posed by the avian influenza outbreak in Lincoln County, Tennessee. This includes implementing a protocol to monitor the health of poultry workers exposed to commercial poultry involved in the USDA/APHIS-confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H7N9) outbreak. At this time, no human infections associated with this outbreak in Tennessee have been detected. CDC considers the risk to the public's health from this North American H7N9 virus outbreak in commercial poultry to be low. In the past, there have only been a small number (fewer than 10 in 15 years) of reported human infections with North American avian influenza A H7 viruses. Most were associated with poultry exposure and have resulted in mild respiratory illness and/or conjunctivitis. While the risk of human infection is low, CDC is working closely with USDA APHIS and state and local agriculture and public health partners to communicate about the possible impact on people of this animal outbreak, including steps people can take to reduce possible risk. CDC has longstanding guidance for the public related to previous domestic HPAI outbreaks: avoid wild birds and observe them only from a distance; avoid contact with domestic birds (poultry) that appear ill or have died; avoid contact with surfaces that appear to be contaminated with feces from wild or domestic birds. CDC will provide updates as new information about the Tennessee outbreak is available. CDC works 24/7 with public health and animal health officials in the U.S. and around the world to remain alert to reports of influenza A outbreaks in animals because influenza pandemics can result when a new (novel) influenza A virus emerges to infect people. CDC and non-CDC influenza experts have developed the Influenza Risk Assessment Tool to assess the possible pandemic risk posed by new influenza A viruses. Results are summarized routinely in a public table. CDC’s International Influenza Program works with a wide range of international partners including WHO and national ministries to build capacity to respond to pandemics and to reduce the effects of seasonal influenza. Aware that new pandemics can arise at any time, CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have worked over the past decade to increase the capacity for global pandemic response. Influenza pandemic preparedness is only attained through the continued development and maintenance of a robust global influenza surveillance and detection network. Tools have been developed and refined to guide planning and response, including evaluating the pandemic risk posed by a new influenza A virus, assessing the potential public health impact posed by a new influenza A virus; understanding the possible progression of a pandemic; developing a pre-pandemic candidate vaccine virus, or vaccine; and evaluating the severity and transmissibility of the virus to inform public health interventions. ### https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/s0308-h7n9.html

Report date : 2017-03-08 17:23:51 Country : Malaysia Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-03 00:00:00 Country : France Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-08 10:53:52 Country : Poland Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-07 19:16:16 Country : Romania Disease: : Newcastle disease View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-07 00:00:00 Country : Romania Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-07 15:03:57 Country : Poland Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

March 7, 2017 - UPDATE from TN Department of Agriculture: USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirms the virus that affected the Lincoln County, Tenn. facility is H7N9, of North American wild bird lineage (please see press release, linked below). This is NOT the same as the China H7N9 virus affecting Asia. This virus is genetically distinct from the China H7N9 lineage. No additional poultry within the surveillance area have shown signs of illness. All samples from poultry within the surveillance area have tested negative for HPAI. The surveillance zone is a 10 mile radius of the affected facility. The control/quarantine zone is a 10 km radius of the affected facility. The control/quarantine zone includes approximately 50 other commercial poultry houses. For testing of backyard poultry flocks, only those within the control/quarantine zone will be sampled. The investigation continues to determine the source of the virus. USDA Press Release - See more at: https://www.tn.gov/agriculture/article/ag-businesses-avianinfluenza#sthash.Byks9ZZC.dpuf

Published Date: 2017-03-05 16:21:35Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Avian influenza (65): Greece (EM) poultry, HPAI H5N6, clarification Archive Number: 20170305.4880867 AVIAN INFLUENZA (65): GREECE (WESTERN MACEDONIA) POULTRY, HPAI H5N6, CLARIFICATION ********************************************************************************** A ProMED-mail posthttp://www.promedmail.org ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseaseshttp://www.isid.org Date: Sun 5 Mar 2017 From: Ian H Brown <[email protected]> [edited] [ProMED posting 20170304.4877946 noted that "This is the 1st time that HPAI H5N6 has been reported in Europe. This subtype now joins H5N8 and H5N5 which have been causing significant production losses in this region. More information on the H5N6 subtype would be useful, particularly whether it is the same strain that has been spreading in Asia (China, South Korea, Japan, Myanmar, Laos and Viet Nam), or if it is a reassorted strain from H5N8 as was reported for H5N5 in Europe." Dr. Ian Brown sent ProMED-mail the following information related to the situation on HPAI H5N6 in Greece. - Mod.CRD]: To clarify, this virus does not appear to be the same as the current strain in Far East Asia that has been associated with cases in both poultry and humans; very preliminary analyses based on limited genetic sequence suggests this is as a result of further reassortment involving H5N8 HPAI and endemic Eurasian viruses. More details in due course. Prof. C. Dovas and DVM T. Chassalevris, Vet Faculty of Aristotle University of Thesaloniki, Greece Dr George Georgiades, NRL for AI, Thessalonica Veterinary Centre (TVC), Greece Professor Ian H Brown, James Seekings & Dr Nicola Lewis, EU/OIE/FAO International Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease; Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) - Weybridge, UK. -- Professor Ian H Brown, MIBiol PhD Head of Virology Department Director of EU/OIE/FAO International Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease; OIE Reference Laboratory for Swine Influenza Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) - Weybridge APHA Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone. Surrey. KT15 3NB <[email protected]> [ProMED-mail thanks Dr. Ian Brown for his comment on the recent HPAI H5N6 detection in Greece. The above updated information is much appreciated. - Mod.CRD A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/promed/p/83.] http://www.promedmail.org/post/4880867

USDA Issues Update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Tennessee Last Modified: Mar 7, 2017 Print Contact: Donna Karlsons, 301-851-4107 [email protected] Lyndsay Cole, 970-494-7410 [email protected] USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has confirmed the full subtype for the highly pathogenic H7 avian influenza reported in Lincoln County, TN. The virus has been identified as North American wild bird lineage H7N9 HPAI based upon full genome sequence analysis of the samples at the NVSL. All eight gene segments of the virus are North American wild bird lineage. This is NOT the same as the China H7N9 virus that has impacted poultry and infected humans in Asia. While the subtype is the same as the China H7N9 lineage that emerged in 2013, this is a different virus and is genetically distinct from the China H7N9 lineage. As additional background, avian influenza viruses are classified by a combination of two groups of proteins: hemagglutinin or “H” proteins, of which there are 16 (H1–H16), and neuraminidase or “N” proteins, of which there are 9 (N1–N9). Many different combinations of “H” and “N” proteins are possible. Each combination is considered a different subtype, and subtypes are further broken down into different strains. Genetically related strains within a subtype are referred to as lineage. USDA continues to work with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture on the joint incident response. Birds on the affected premises have been depopulated, and burial is in progress. An epidemiological investigation is underway to determine the source of the infection. Federal and state partners continue to conduct surveillance and testing of poultry within an expanded 10-mile radius around the affected premises to ensure all commercial operations in the area are disease-free. In addition, strict movement controls are in place within an established control zone to prevent the disease from spreading. As of yesterday, all commercial premises within the surveillance area had been tested, and all of the tests from the surrounding facilities were negative for disease. Officials will continue to observe commercial and backyard poultry for signs of influenza, and all flocks in the surveillance zone will be tested again. The rapid testing and response in this incident is the result of extensive planning with local, state, federal and industry partners to ensure the most efficient and effective coordination. Since the previous HPAI detections in 2015 and 2016, APHIS and its state and industry partners have learned valuable lessons to help implement stronger preparedness and response capabilities. More information about avian influenza can be found on the USDA avian influenza page. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/newsroom/news/sa_by_date/sa-2017/hpai-tn-update

Report date : 2017-03-07 17:56:36 Country : Chinese Taipei Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-07 17:37:59 Country : Chinese Taipei Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-07 17:09:45 Country : Chinese Taipei Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-06 14:58:50 Country : Finland Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article

Report date : 2017-03-06 13:11:08 Country : Russia Disease: : Highly path. avian influenza View the full article