Avian influenza virus isolated in harbor seals poses a threat to humans

Date:

September 4, 2014

Source:

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Summary:

The avian influenza A H3N8 virus that killed harbor seals along the New England coast can spread through respiratory droplets and poses a threat to humans, scientists have found. The findings reinforce the need for continued surveillance of flu viruses circulating in wild and domestic animals to understand the risk the viruses pose to humans, said the study's first author.

Continued ...

More HPAI in Hong Kong

HONG KONG - The country's veterinary authorities have reported two new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian flu in wild birds.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) was sent follow-up report no. 11 last week (9 March).

A peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus calidus) was collected on 3 March 2012 at Ma On Shan. The peregrine falcon is a rare winter visitor in Hong Kong.

A black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) was collected on 2 March 2012 at Tuen Mun. The black-headed gull is a common winter visitor in Hong Kong.

An intensive surveillance system is in place for all poultry farms, poultry markets and pet bird shops in Hong Kong. The H5N1 infected wild birds and goose carcass from unknown source were detected in ongoing surveillance programme on wild birds. The dates of the outbreaks are the same as the dates the birds were collected (i.e. 17 December 2011, 30 December 2011, 1 January 2012, 12 January 2012, 20 January 2012 , 30 January 2012 , 6 February 2012, 7 February 2012, 8 February 2012, 24 February 2012, 25 February 2012, 27 February 2012, 2 March 2012 and 3 March 2012 respectively).

A total of 19,451 poultry, including 15,569 chickens, 810 pigeons, 1,950 pheasants and 1,122 silky fowls were culled in the Cheung Sha Wan Temporary Wholesale Poultry Market on 21 December 2011. The Wholesale Poultry Market was closed. Importation of live poultry and movement of poultry in local farms is banned for 21 days.

Surveillance and monitoring of local chicken farms has been stepped up. No H5 virus was detected in samples taken from the 30 chicken farms in Hong Kong. The Wholesale Poultry Market was reopened on 12 January 2012.

The source of the outbreak is still under investigation.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/25130/more-hpai-in-hong-kong

Bird flu deaths in Asia prompt call for scrutiny

(Reuters) - Virologists warned on Tuesday that there was no vaccine against a mutant strain of H5N1 bird flu now spreading in China and Vietnam and called for closer monitoring of the disease in poultry and wild birds to stop it spreading to people.

The call came after the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Monday of a possible resurgence of bird flu and said a mutant strain of the H5N1 was spreading in Asia and beyond.

While scientists are uncertain if this new strain -- called H5N1-2.3.2.1 -- is more virulent in people, they said it was different enough from its predecessor to escape a human H5N1 vaccine that can tackle the parent strain.

"There is a human H5N1 vaccine candidate that is a (WHO)recommended vaccine ... But it doesn't confer full protection against the (new variant)," said leading virologist Malik Peiris at the University of Hong Kong.

"But that is not unusual. H5 viruses keep changing and we have to change the vaccine strain."

The World Health Organization meets twice a year, in February and September, when experts discuss and decide on the makeup of candidate influenza vaccines.

H5N1 kills up to 60 percent of the people it infects. It has resurfaced in recent months, most notably in Cambodia where it has infected eight people this year, killing all of them.

"H5N1 cases in Cambodia always have high mortality because they are detected late," Peiris told Reuters in an interview.

"It doesn't necessarily indicate that this particular virus strain is more virulent to humans. But it is a threat because it has become more widespread globally."

(Reporting by Tan Ee Lyn; Editing by Nick Macfie)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/30/us-birdflu-asia-mutant-idUSTRE77T1VM20110830