Bird Flu Flares Up Again for 2008

Bird Flu Flares Up Again for 2008

Feb, 2008  - Bird flu outbreaks in 15 countries 
since December are evidence that the deadly H5N1 viral strain remains a 
global threat and requires close monitoring and strong controls, the UN 
Food and Agriculture Organization said today. While animal health 
officials are better prepared to keep the virus under control than they 
were three years ago, the crisis is not over, a senior FAO official said. 
Health officials worry that the high infectious H5N1 bird flu virus could 
mutate into a virus that is easily spread among humans, triggering a 
global flu pandemic that could kill millions of people. 
"The virus has not become more contagious to humans but has managed to 
persist in parts of Asia, Africa and probably Europe. It could still 
trigger a human influenza pandemic," warned FAO's Chief Veterinary Officer 
Joseph Domenech. 
The Indonesian Ministry of Health announced the death today of a 
previously confirmed case of H5N1 infection in a 30-year-old man from 
Tangerang District, Banten Province. Of the 120 cases to date in 
Indonesia, 98 have been fatal.
Of the 353 human cases of avian flu in 14 countries since 2003, the World 
Health Organization reports that 221 people have died of the disease. 
In her annual report January 21, Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of 
the World Health Organization, said, "Many Regional Committees also 
addressed the threat posed by avian influenza. This season has again given 
us some stark reminders that the threat of an influenza pandemic has by no 
means diminished."

"Globally, much progress has been achieved in keeping the H5N1 avian 
influenza virus under control," Domenech said. "Surveillance, early 
detection and immediate response have improved and many newly infected 
countries have managed to eliminate the virus from poultry." 
"But the H5N1 avian influenza crisis is far from over and remains 
particularly worrying in Indonesia, Bangladesh and Egypt, where the virus 
has become deeply entrenched despite major control efforts," he said. 
Bangladesh, Benin, China, Egypt, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, 
Myanmar, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Vietnam have confirmed new 
H5N1 outbreaks in poultry, including chickens, turkeys, geese and ducks. 
Except for a few cases in wild birds in China, Poland and United Kingdom, 
most of the confirmed outbreaks occurred in domestic poultry. 
Commenting on individual countries, Indonesia remains one of the worst 
affected countries with 31 out of 33 provinces infected since 2004, and 
many are heavily infected. 
"The continuing number of human cases gives cause for concern," Domenech 
said. 
"We have observed that new H5N1 avian influenza virus strains have 
recently emerged in Indonesia with the possible effect that vaccines 
currently in use may not be fully protecting poultry against the disease," 
he said. "This requires more investigations and the development of better 
poultry vaccines," he said. 

The government of Indonesia and FAO, on behalf of the network of 
international reference laboratories operated by the FAO and the World 
Organization for Animal Health, are working on a virus monitoring program 
to examine the problem more carefully. 
Domenech said that India is struggling to keep the worst-ever avian 
influenza outbreak in West Bengal under control. 
In Bangladesh, 21 out of 64 districts have been infected with H5N1 and the 
situation seems to be worsening. The disease appears to be endemic in the 
country, and surveillance and control campaigns have so far not succeeded 
in interrupting virus transmission between provinces. FAO is strengthening 
its presence in Bangladesh to support the government in its efforts to 
bring the disease under control. 
Egypt has stepped up the fight against avian influenza, but recent 
outbreaks indicate that control efforts need to be strengthened, Domenech 
warned. 
"The reporting of new outbreaks in poultry, disinfection, culling, 
movement control and biosecurity on farms and markets remain insufficient 
and need to be improved. Vaccination campaigns had been generally 
successful on commercial farms, but not among small-scale producers," 
Domenech said. 
Following the initial success of vaccination on industrial poultry farms, 
the control measures may have slackened. The disease was thus given an 
opportunity to reappear in the industrial sector seemingly resulting in a 
wider redistribution throughout the country. 
Domenech also confirmed that the potential change of virus strains should 
be further investigated. FAO is working closely with the government of 
Egypt in strengthening all aspects of disease detection, control and 
communication. 
In West Africa, Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo have had outbreaks in 2007. 
There is a serious risk that the virus becomes well established in the 
region, Domenech warned. 
"Virus circulation in Nigeria could be a potential source of infection for 
neighbouring countries despite intense efforts from the Nigerian 
government to control the disease in poultry," he said. FAO continues to 
work closely with the governments in the region in improving disease 
control. 
In Europe, Germany, Poland, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom 
reported new avian influenza outbreaks recently. 
"The detection and immediate response in all countries, especially in the 
European Union, is very effective," Domenech said. "But we are seeing 
virus infections in poultry that are not transmitted by wild birds. This 
raises questions about other ways of virus transmission and potential 
reservoirs of infection, like in free ranging ducks," he added. 
With FAO's assistance, more than 50 countries have been able to control 
and eliminate the disease in poultry. 
"Surveillance and immediate control interventions, biosecurity, proper 
vaccination and culling and the strengthening of veterinary services are 
key elements for successful H5N1 avian influenza control campaigns," 
Domenech said. 

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