February 23, 2005

Japan's poultry farm discovers bird flu virus in flies

Some of the 200 flies captured around a Kyoto Prefecture poultry farm in Japan after a bird flu outbreak there last February reportedly have the bird flu virus.

According to the National Institute of Infectious Disease, it is the first time the virus has been found in flies.

The institute is examining the possibility of whether humans can be infected with the virus through flies, although details are unclear.

The virus detected was H5N1, the same type found in poultry at Asada Nosan Co.'s Funai Farm in Tamba last February.

The institute captured about 200 flies at six locations up to 2.2 kilometers away from the farm in early March last year.

Flies fly about 1-2 km in half a day, and may have become infected with the virus by feeding on poultry droppings at the farm, the institute said.

A former chicken farm employee was found infected with the bird flu after the outbreak.