Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the US
US - This is a Follow-up report (No. 1) via OIE on the recent outbreak of Avian Influenza in the US.
8 March 2004
3 minute read
See also: 27 February 2004
Information received on 2 March 2004 from Dr Peter Fernandez, Associate Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Washington, DC:
End of previous report period: 23 February 2004 (see Disease Information, 17 [9], 59, dated 27 February 2004).
End of this report period: 2 March 2004.
- Chicken pathogenicity testing indicates the virus detected (see emergency report) to be non-pathogenic to chickens.
- The index flock, comprising about 6,600 birds, has been depopulated.
- Poultry premises within a 16-km radius of the index premises are being sampled and tested. To date, within this radius, 220 premises have been identified; 178 of these premises have been serologically tested and all are negative for avian influenza.
Additional information extracted from the USDA-APHIS web page on avian influenza in the United States, updated on 3 March 2004:
- On 21 February, 6,608 birds on the index farm were depopulated.
- On 23 February, National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) completed genetic sequencing of samples from the affected Texas flock. Based on these sequence results, the Texas H5N2 virus meets the OIE definition of highly pathogenic avian influenza(1).
- Two live bird markets (LBM) in Houston that received birds from the index flock were tested and found to be positive for H5N2 avian influenza. These affected LBM were depopulated on 23 February. As a precaution, three additional markets in Houston have also been depopulated. A total of 2,300 birds were depopulated from these five LBM. Cleaning and disinfection of all LBM in the Houston area was completed on 29 February.
- NVSL completed the pathogenicity test for the Texas H5N2 isolate on 1 March. No deaths or illnesses were observed in the chickens tested.
(1) See Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines, OIE, 2000
Source: Office International des Epizooties - 5th March 2004
