August 12, 2004

Untreated Water Suspected To Spread Bird Flu In South Africa

The use of untreated surface water is now highly suspected of spreading the avian influenza in South Africa's ostrich farms, according to the country's veterinary experts on Wednesday.

Open dams or free-running water may have spread the bird flu virus to ostriches, which should drink treated water, the South Africa Veterinary Association said.

The outbreak in the Eastern Cape from last week has killed and further led to culling of thousands of ostriches in the region. It has also sparked an international trade ban on all poultry and poultry products from South Africa.

The SAVA "strongly suspected" that the use of untreated surface water transferred the avian influenza virus to ostrich flocks in the Eastern Cape. It also believed other measures could prevent infection.

"It is important to discourage the interaction of wild birds with ostriches as well as free range poultry," SAVA's president Banie Penzhorn was quoted as saying by the South African Press Association.

Penzhorn urged farmers to change feeding methods, for instance, not to feed once a day or even once every few days, and trying night feeding, so that all food is consumed.

"Leftover feed attracts wild birds," he said.

Penzhorn said if precautionary measures were taken, further outbreaks of bird flu in ostriches and poultry can be prevented.

He added that virus identification tests conducted confirmed the virus as an H5N2 type that is potentially highly pathogenic and dangerous to poultry, but unlikely to affect humans.