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Avian influenza
(aka bird flu, avian flu) is caused by a type of influenza virus that is hosted by birds, but may infect several species of mammals. It was first identified in Italy in the early 1900s and is now known to exist worldwide. A strain of the H5N1-type of avian influenza virus that emerged in 1997 has been identified as the most likely source of a future influenza pandemic.
Strains of avian influenza virus may infect various types of animals, including birds, pigs, horses, seals, whales and humans. However, wild fowl act as natural asymptomatic carriers, spreading it to more susceptible domestic stocks. Avian influenza virus spreads in the air and in manure and there is no evidence that the virus can survive in well cooked meat.


Diagnosis
How to Recognise Avian Influenza
What to look for
  • Ruffled feathers
  • Soft-shelled eggs
  • Depression and droopiness
  • Sudden drop in egg production
  • Loss of appetite
  • Cyanosis (purplish-blue coloring) of wattles and comb
  • Edema and swelling of head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks
  • Green diarrhoea
  • Blood-tinged discharge from nostrils
  • Incoordination, including loss of ability to walk and stand
  • Pin-point hemorrhages (most easily seen on the feet and shanks)
  • Respiratory distress
  • Increased death losses in a flock
  • Sudden death
  • Nasal discharges
For more detail in avian influenza in poultry click here


Poultry Vaccination as a strategy for controlling AI in commercial birds
Outbreaks of avian influenza in the poultry industry cause devastating economic losses and is generally controlled through extensive culling of infected birds. Alternative strategies also use vaccination as a supplementary control measure during avian influenza outbreaks.
Advantages of Vaccination
  • Vaccination reduces susceptibility to infection.
  • A higher dose of virus is necessary to infect the vaccinated birds.
  • Vaccinated birds shed less virus.
    - Decreased contamination of the environment.
    - Decreased risk of human infection
  • Used strategically vaccination compliments a stamping out strategy by slowing/stopping the spread of the virus
For more information on poultry vaccination see:


Biosecurity
Avian Influenza (Fowl Plague) is a potentially devastating disease, predominantly of chickens and turkeys, although the virus can also affect game birds (pheasants, partridge and quail), ratites (ostrich and emu), psittacine and passerine birds.
Avian Influenza is caused by an orthomyxovirus, or influenza virus and can survive for considerable lengths of time outside of the host and birds are infected through contact with other birds, mechanical vectors such as vehicles and equipment and personnel travelling between farms, markets and abattoirs.
Precautionary requirements include cleaning and disinfection of premises and the establishment of a Biosecurity barrier to help prevent spread of disease is essential.
For more information on biosecurity see the links below
Avian and Bird Flu News
Avian Flu News
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Latest Avian / Bird Flu News

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Friday, May 09, 2008
India - Bird Flu News Thaindian
Bird Flu Resurfaces in Bengal
INDIA - Bird flu has resurfaced in Darjeeling district in eastern India, West Bengal’s Animal Resources Development (ARD) Minister Anisur Rehaman confirmed Friday. The H5NI strain of the virus has been detected in Kurseong town in Darjeeling by the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory in Bhopal.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Thailand - Bird Flu News MCOT
Thai Officials Working to Prevent Bird Flu Outbreak
THAILAND - Bueng Boraped in the central province of Nakhon Sawan, encompassing over 50,000 acres is home to more than 270 farmland birds and waterbirds.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Korea, Republic of - Bird Flu News StarsAndStripes
Seoul Shuts Park, Probes Open Market for Avian flu
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - Seoul officials have closed a children’s park and are investigating an open-air market after four birds were discovered to have been contaminated with avian flu, according to South Korean news reports.
General - Bird Flu News Canada.com
Global Pandemic Risk Probably Growing
GLOBE - The risk of a human influenza pandemic remains real and is probably growing as the bird flu virus becomes entrenched in poultry in more countries, health officials warned on Tuesday.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Korea, Republic of - Bird Flu News TheKoreaTimes
Bird Flu Outbreak Reaches Seoul
SOUTH KOREA - The bird flu outbreak that has swept South Korea reached the capital Seoul on Tuesday, prompting quarantine officials to decontaminate and limit access to a nearby children's park and open air market.
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of - Bird Flu News ThePoultrySite News Desk
Bird Flu Watch Posts Peer Out from N Korea
NORTH KOREA - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is taking a wide range of measures to prevent avian flu from spreading into the country whilst an outbreak causes havoc in neighboring South Korea, the official news agency KCNA said Monday.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of - Bird Flu News The Straits Times
N.Korea Inoculates Poultry Against Bird Flu Following Outbreak in S.Korea
SEOUL - North Korea said on Monday it has inoculated poultry against bird flu to prevent the spread of the virus from neighboring South Korea.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Thailand - Bird Flu News Inquirer
Thailand Free of Bird Flu Says Ministry
BANGKOK, THAILAND - Thailand on Friday declared itself free of bird flu after no outbreaks of the deadly virus were reported over the past 90 days.
India - Bird Flu News ThaindianNews
Manipur Out to Check Bird Flu Outbreak
IMPHAL - Health authorities in Manipur held a three-day seminar and training on methods to check outbreak of bird flu in the state in the wake of the disease resurfacing in neighbouring Tripura.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Australia - Bird Flu News TheAge
Bird Flu Vaccines Get First Thumbs Up
AUSTRALIA - Two bird flu vaccines have won the first nod from a government committee for registration to protect Australians against an avian flu pandemic.
Switzerland - Bird Flu News TheCanadianPress
WHO Denies Advising Olympic Tourists to Pack Bird Flu Drug
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — The World Health Organization denies it is recommending that visitors to China for this summer's Olympic Games should pack an antiviral drug to protect themselves against avian flu.
India - Bird Flu News TheHindu
TN to Set Up Sterile Poultry Zone
INDIA - Badly affected by the ban on poultry imports from India due to bird flu, Tamil Nadu Government plans to set up a sterile poultry zone, free from the avian virus to resume exports of poultry products from the state.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
India - Bird Flu News TheTelegraph
Culling Cloud on Bird Sanctuary
INDIA - The restive poultry farmers of Bishalgarh subdivision have demanded culling of birds inside Sipahijala wildlife sanctuary which prompted the authorities to shut the zoo inside the preserve to visitors.
Korea, Republic of - Bird Flu News YonhapNews
S. Korea's Bird Flu Outbreak Spreading East
SOUTH KOREA - A suspected case of bird flu case has been reported at a small chicken farm in Daegu, the government said Wednesday, raising concerns that the outbreak first confirmed early this month is spreading throughout the country.
United States - Bird Flu News IPPmedia
US Embassy Donates Kits to Curb Bird Flu
US - Speaking at the launch of an action plan for caution and prevention of avian flu in the country in Dar es Salaam on Monday, US embassy representative and country director of the US Centres for Disease Control Dr. Stefan Wicktor said the kits were part of the plan to prevent bird flu.
Norway - Bird Flu News AftenPosten
Bird Flu Knocking at Norway's Door
NORWAY - Some 2,000 chickens and ducks had to be slaughtered in Fyn in Denmark on Tuesday after a routine test uncovered a strain of bird influenza - putting Norwegians on high alert.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Nepal - Bird Flu News Reuters
Nepal on Flu Alert, Tests Poultry on India Border
KATHMANDU, NAPAL - Nepal has issued a bird flu alert and is testing poultry along the border with India, where the virus rages despite the culling of tens of thousands of chickens since 2006, officials said.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Canada - Bird Flu News CanadianPress
Canada Declared Free of Disease
OTTAWA — Canada has been declared free of a highly infectious strain of avian flu by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
India - Bird Flu News ZeeNews
Culling Begins in Nadilag, in Another Area of Tripura
INDIA - Culling began today in bird-flu hit Nadilag and its surrounding areas of West Tripura district as the state government said neighbouring Bangladesh could be the possible source of infection.
Japan - Bird Flu News Reuters
Japan Detects Bird Flu in Four Wild Swans
JAPAN - Japan has detected a strain of bird flu in four wild swans after stepping up checks following major outbreaks of the disease in neighboring South Korea, local and government officials said on Monday.
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