April 5, 2006

H5 virus detected at German turkey farm

German authorities said Tuesday (Apr 4) that an H5 bird flu virus has been detected in turkeys at a farm in the east of the country, and tests were pending to determine whether it was the lethal H5N1 strain.

The H5N1 strain has been confirmed in wild birds in several parts of Germany, but not yet in domestic fowl.

Initial testing by a state lab came up positive for an H5 virus, said Ralph Schreiber, a spokesman for the social affairs ministry in the eastern state of Saxony.

A federal lab was expected to determine Wednesday whether the virus was the H5N1 strain.

The farm, with some 1,400 birds, was located in the Leipzig area. Saxony has yet to record cases of H5N1 in any birds.