Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Bird Flu in Pokhara NEPAL - Hundreds of diseased fowls were culled in Kaski’s Lekhnath Kalikachowk, following confirmation of bird flu in the area, on Tuesday. About 555 chickens and 40 kg chicken-feed were destroyed at a poultry farm owned by Basant Shrestha, said Dr Bansi Sharma, director, Regional Livestock Directorate. On Monday, the lab test confirmed bird flu in the dead fowls sent by the poultry farm seven days ago. Shrestha’s farm will be put under surveillance for three months. Dr Sharma said the farm owner will be compensated.
The HimalayanFriday, May 03, 2013
Fowls Die‚ Bird Flu Suspected in Rautahat NEPAL - Scores of fowls are reported to have died in Rautahat in the past few days, raising fear that the deaths could be due to outbreak of bird flu in the district, after Chitwan and Rupandehi.
The HimalayanWednesday, May 01, 2013
Bird Flu Case Confirmed in Another Chitwan FarmNEPAL - Chitwan livestock officials have confirmed that another poultry farm in Mangalpur area of the district has been affected by avian influenza, few weeks after bird flu cases were detected in Bharatpur-9 and Mangalpur VDC- 7.
Nepalnews.comFriday, April 12, 2013
OIE Reports HPAI Outbreaks in Mechi, Narayani and LumbiniNEPAL - The Nepalese veterinary authorities have reported nine outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Mechi, Lumbini and Narayani districts.
ThePoultrySite News DeskWednesday, April 10, 2013
Bird Flu Found at Two More Places in Jhapa NEPAL - Bird flu has been found in fowls at two more places in Jhapa district. With this, bird flu has been detected in poultry at altogether six places in the district.
The HimalayanThursday, February 28, 2013
Govt Helps Bird Flu Affected Farmers NEPAL - The government has distributed about Rs 10 million in the last four years to bird flu affected farmers. The Animal Health Directorate provided the compensation to over five dozen farmers.
The HimalayanFriday, February 22, 2013
Bird Flu Kills Chickens Worth Rs 29.4 Million NEPAL - Bird flu outbreaks have killed 70,000 chickens worth Rs 29.4 million since 2008. The country has witnessed 38 outbreaks in the last four years.
The HimalayanFriday, February 15, 2013
HPAI Outbreaks in Bagmati and MechiNEPAL - The Nepalese veterinary authorities have reported five new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza at farms located in Mechi and Bagmati.
ThePoultrySite News DeskTuesday, February 05, 2013
Tarai Districts at High Risk of Bird FluNEPAL - Banke, Bardiya and Dang of Mid-western Tarai region are at high risk of bird flu, sources said.
The HimalayanThursday, January 24, 2013
Nepal Reports More HPAI H5N1 Outbreaks in GandakiNEPAL - The Nepali veterinary authorities have reported four new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at various commercial broiler farms located in Gandaki.
ThePoultrySite News DeskWednesday, January 23, 2013
Eight Places in Ilam Bird Flu Surveillance SiteNEPAL - The District Livestock Office, Ilam has fixed eight places as bird flu surveillance sites in the district.
The HimalayanTuesday, January 22, 2013
Nepal Reports HPAI Outbreak in BagmatiNEPAL - The Nepali veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Bagmati.
ThePoultrySite News DeskThursday, January 03, 2013
Bird Flu Detected in SitapailaNEPAL - The bird flu outbreak has been detected in Sitapaila of Kathmandu, ten days after the first case was reported in the area. The first case of bird flu was reported in the area on December 24, 2012.
The Himalayan
Bird Flu Detected in Nuwakot NEPAL - Bird flu has been detected in Chaughada VDC in Nuwakot district.
The HimalayanWednesday, January 02, 2013
High Alert on Transport of Poultry Products NEPAL - Strict measures have been adopted in the transport of poultry products in Dhanusha district.
The HimalayanFriday, December 28, 2012
New H5N1 Outbreak Reported in Central NepalNEPAL - Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), probably of the H5N1 subtype, has broken out in farmed broilers in the region of Bagmati.
ThePoultrySite News DeskMonday, November 05, 2012
Further H5N1 Outbreak in NepalNEPAL - A further outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has occurred in Nepal.
ThePoultrySite News DeskTuesday, October 16, 2012
Avian Flu H5N1 Outbreak in NepalNEPAL - An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has occurred in Nepal.
ThePoultrySite News DeskMonday, July 16, 2012
Nepal Declared Free from Bird Flu NEPAL - Department of Livestock Services under the Ministry of Agriculture Development has sent a report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) confirming Nepal as a ‘bird flu free’ country.
The HimalayanMonday, April 30, 2012
Compensation for Bird Flu Losses in NepalNEPAL - The Bird Flu Disease Control District Technical Committee has decided to compensate the losses incurred by poultry farmers in the culling of poultry and related products carried out in order to check the spread of the disease.
ThePoultrySite News Desk
(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.
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.
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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:
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