June 19, 2006

H5 bird flu virus found in Canadian goose

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Friday (Jun 16) confirmed that a domestic goose that died in western Prince Edward Island earlier this week tested positive for an H5 bird flu virus, the Canadian Press (CP) reported.

Samples are being sent to CFIA's National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases in Winnipeg so that confirmatory tests can be run and the neuraminidase (the 'N' in a flu virus's name) can be determined, the report said.

CP reported the goose was part of a small, free range flock of chickens, geese and ducks. Four of 11 geese in the flock were discovered dead on Monday. None of the other birds fell ill at the time but all have since been destroyed as a precautionary measure.

Dr Jim Clark, CFIA's director of animal health, was quoted as saying at this point there is no indication this virus is the virulent Asian H5N1 that has killed hundreds of millions of poultry around the world.

In fact, there is no evidence as yet that the bird flu played a role in the death of the geese, he told CP.

"Just because these birds have died, we must not jump to the conclusion it was an influenza virus that killed them," Clark was quoted as saying.