Newcastle Disease in Greece - GREECE - This is a Follow-up report (No. 2) via OIE on the Newcastle Disease in Greece.

See also: 10 June 2005, 29 April 2005, 8 April 2005, 18 February 2005, 21 January 2005, 14 January 2005

Information received on 9 June 2005 from Dr Vasilios Stylas, Head, Animal Health Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture, Athens:

End of previous report period: 25 April 2005 (see Disease Information, 18 [17], 114, dated 29 April 2005).

End of this report period: 9 June 2005.

Date of first confirmation of the event: 5 April 205.

Date of start of the event: 8 March 2005.

Diagnosis:

Laboratories where diagnosis was made	Species examined	Diagnostic tests used	Date	Results
Centre of Veterinary Institutions of Thessaloniki - Laboratory of Avian Pathology	avi	virus isolation in embryonated fowl eggs	26 April 2005	positive
		haemagglutination test	26 April 2005	positive
		haemagglutination inhibition test	26 April 2005	positive
VLA Weybridge, United Kingdom (OIE Reference Laboratory for Newcastle disease)	avi	intracebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) test (1.75)	16 May 2005	positive

A few other farms exist in the 10-km-radius surveillance zone around the infected farm. Since 8 March 2005, the Veterinary Authority of Kilkis has been conducting an epidemiological survey throughout the prefecture, thus covering an area far greater than the 10-km-radius zone around the infected farm. The survey has found no evidence of Newcastle disease in the area. Strict vaccination measures have been applied to backyard poultry kept in villages throughout the whole of the prefecture.

Source: Office International des Epizooties - 10th June 2005