Avian Influenza in Canada - CANADA - This is follow up report No 3 via OIE on the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza in Canada.

See also: 5th March 2004, 27 February 2004, 20 February 2004

Information received on 10 March 2004 from Dr Brian Evans, Executive Director, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Ottawa:

End of previous report period: 2 March 2004 (see Disease Information, 17 [10], 72, dated 5 March 2004).

End of this report period: 9 March 2004.

On-going tests performed by the CFIA indicate a differentiation in the pathogenicity of the virus recovered from the two units on the affected premises:

- The virus recovered from the 52-week-old-bird flock was confirmed as low pathogenicity (intravenous pathogenicity index = 0.0).

- Additional work on samples derived from the 24-week-old-bird flock also returned an H7N3 subtype with a similar nucleotide sequence at the cleavage site. However, pathogenicity determinations now completed have revealed both low pathogenic and high pathogenic strains (intravenous pathogenicity index = 3.0) to be present within this group of birds.

Additional information on the location of the affected premises: Fraser Valley area, province of British Columbia.

Control measures during reporting period: depopulation and disposal of the birds has been completed and ring surveillance continues.

Source: Office International des Epizooties - 12th March 2004