August 2, 2006

Dutch report low-pathogenic bird flu in farm

Dutch authorities have detected a low-pathogenic bird flu strain in a poultry farm in the central region of Gelderse Vallei, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday (Aug 1).

The strain is much less dangerous than the strain that hit the Netherlands in 2003, the ministry said in a statement. However, since it might mutate to a more dangerous version, the farm has been closed.

The Netherlands is a major poultry exporter and Europe's second biggest producer.

The exact strain is unclear as authorities would only say it is not the H5 virus. There has never been any reported cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu strain found in several EU countries.

The Netherlands was hit by an H7N7 strain in 2003, which led to the culling of a third of the Dutch poultry flock.

Dutch veterinarians and scientists believe the 2003 outbreak was caused by wild birds that infected outdoor poultry in central Netherlands, which then spread to the south and into Germany and Belgium.