Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza In Germany - GERMANY - Follow-up report No. 4 (Final Report) via OIE on the avian influenza outbreak in the Schwalmtal municipality of Germany.

See also: 27 June 2003, 6 June 2003, 23 May 2003, 16 May 2003

Information received on 4 November 2003 from Dr Karin Schwabenbauer, Head, Animal Health Division, Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, Bonn:

End of previous report period: 25 June 2003 (see Disease Information, 16 [26], 154, dated 27 June 2003).

End of this report period: 31 October 2003.

On the evening of 8 May 2003, a suspected presence of avian influenza was officially recorded in a stock of 30,000 broilers in the municipality of Schwalmtal, district of Viersen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Following the results of tests performed by the national reference laboratory for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the Federal Research Centre for Virus Diseases of Animals (BFAV⁽¹⁾) on the Island of Riems, HPAI was officially recorded on 13 May 2003.

On 9 May 2003, immediately after the suspected presence of avian influenza had been officially recorded, stamping out was applied to all poultry in the affected farm and all contact animals.

Since the above-mentioned outbreak, no other cases of HPAI have been recorded in Germany.

In accordance with Article 2.1.14.2 of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Germany considers itself free from HPAI as from 10 November 2003.

(1) BFAV: Bundesforschungsanstalt für Viruskrankheiten der Tiere

Source: Office International Des Epizooties - 7th November 2003