H5N2 Bird Flu Virus Discovered in Shandong
CHINA - The Chinese veterinary authorities have reported finding poultry that tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus at a farm in Shandong province.
24 January 2014
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The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received follow-up no. 1 on Tuesday 21 January. On 20 January, haemagglutination inhibition test (HIT), reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and virus isolation tests were carried out at the Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. All tests confirmed the presence of the HPAI virus, serotype H5N2.
A total of 18,857 birds were involved, out of which five tested positive for the avian flu virus. All 18,857 birds were destroyed.
According to the OIE, five specimens from one breeder farm were tested H5N2 positive according to the national surveillance plan. No dead birds were found.
The source of the outbreak remains inconclusive.
The same virus type was found at a farm in Hebei province in December 2013.
