September 4, 2006

 

Bird flu found in 2 other US states over the weekend

 

 

Mallard ducks in Pennsylvania have tested positive for a low-pathogenic strain of the H5N1 bird flu virus, the USDA said on Saturday, adding to cases detected recently in Maryland and Michigan.

 

A strain of the H5N1 avian influenza virus was found in wild ducks sampled Aug 28 in northwestern Pennsylvania.

 

Testing has ruled out the possibility of this being the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain that has spread through birds in Asia, Europe and Africa, USDA and Interior said in a statement. Test results indicate the strain poses no risk to human health.

 

The government said it was conducting additional tests to determine, in part, if the ducks had H5N1 or two separate strains with one virus contributing H5 and the other N1. A second round of tests could take five to 10 more days to confirm whether it was the low-pathogenic H5N1 bird flu.

 

The virus also has been found during the last month in Michigan and on Friday in Maryland. The Maryland mallards did not appear sick so the samples, collected on Aug 2, were not given high priority when sent for testing.

 

Authorities are collecting between up to 100,000 wild bird samples in addition to more than 50,000 environmental tests throughout the United States.

 

The USDA has stressed that it is common for mild and low pathogenic strains of bird flu to appear in the United States and other countries.

 

US poultry groups are keeping their fingers crossed there would not be much of a repercussion from the latest news.

 

However, they admit that some countries may impose sanctions on all or part of the US poultry industry, already battered by a string of losses during the second quarter from reduced poultry exports as bird flu dampened demand in foreign countries. 

 

Richard Lobb, director of communications with the National Chicken Council, said there is nothing in international rules that would indicate this being a problem for the US chicken industry.

 

Bans on US poultry would go against World Animal Health Organization guidelines which do not even require countries to report cases of low-pathogenic bird flu.

 

However, the fact that Mexico, Russian and South Korea already instituted bans after bird flu was found in Michigan, the first state to report bird flu, may prompt others to impose similar bans.

 

South Korea lifted its ban once the results of veterinary investigations were completed, but Russia and Mexico

maintain their bans.