November 18, 2009

France reports bird flu outbreak in ducks

The French veterinary authorities have reported a new outbreak of low pathogenic bird flu in a flock of ducks in western France.

Veterinary authority has sent an Immediate Notification dated November 16 to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The report describes a case of bird flu, which started on November 13 in a flock of 9,000 domestic ducks in Saint Aubin du Plain in the départemente of Deux-Sèvres.

This outbreak was identified through active surveillance for bird flu in breeding farms. Poultry at the farm show no clinical signs.

All 9,000 ducks will be euthanised and destroyed. Cleaning and disinfection measures and then a 21-day sanitation process will be applied. The newly introduced birds will be monitored for 21 days following their introduction on the farm.

The epidemiological investigation showed that the virus has not circulated from the farm; there is neither an epidemiological related farm nor other farms within a one-kilometre-radius area.

The H5 sub-type of the virus has been identified.