The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received an immediate notification yesterday, 9 March. According to the report, the outbreak occurred in 20 isolated geese which were the property of Babes–Bolyai University and were brought as sentinel birds to Cot Candura location in August 2010 for avian influenza research. This location is isolated, it is surrounded by lakes Fortuna, Balcanestii Mari, Papadia, Rotelciuc and water channel Sontea Noua and Veche.

A total of 20 birds were found susceptible to the outbreak, out of which the apparent morbidity rate was 100 per cent.

Contact with wild bird species has been identified as the main source of the outbreak.

Tracheal swabs, cloacal swabs and serological samples were taken on 10 August, 24 September, 29 October and 5 November 2010. On the samples collected on 29 October and 5 November, the RT-PCR test results were positive in tracheal swabs and cloacal swabs; the serological results were negative.

On 3 November 2010, Tulcea Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate submitted a disease suspicion notification report. According to the procedure, Tulcea Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Laboratory submitted to the National Reference Laboratory for avian influenza 20 samples for confirmation/invalidation of the avian influenza suspicion. A positive RT-PCR result for H5 subtype was obtained completed with the result of the virological examination on 12 November 2010: the hæmagglutination inhibition and positive neuraminidase inhibition reactions for H5 and N3 subtypes. The date of confirmation is 12 November 2010, as during this period (3 to 12 November 2010) the virus isolation and its characterization as being low pathogenic were carried out.

Further Reading

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You can visit the Avian Flu page by clicking here.