November 22, 2011

Highly pathogenic bird flu spreads rapidly in Taiwan

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has spread rapidly in Zhupei City located in Northern Taiwan's Hsinchu, reports Taiwanese veterinary authorities.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received an immediate notification on November 17. The causal agent was found to be H5N2 serotype.

The affected population consists of 2,720 native chicken breeders and 3,280 native chickens, thereby bringing the number of susceptible birds to 6000. Out of this, 20 cases were identified. No deaths were recorded, and no birds were destroyed.

The report states that the notifiable avian influenza (NAI) viral infection was detected on a native chicken breeder farm in the process of active surveillance and identified as H5N2 strain on November 15. Movement restriction was implemented on the infected farm immediately when the virus was detected.

Clinical health investigation in the infected farm was done and showed that the breeders were in healthy condition and without clinical signs. The positive results of serological and virological tests confirm this H5N2 outbreak. The clinical and epidemiological investigation of surrounding poultry farms and pathogenicity test of virus isolate are in progress.

According to the report, note by the OIE Animal Health Information Department: H5 and H7 avian influenza in its low pathogenic form in poultry is a notifiable disease as per Chapter 10.4. on avian influenza of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (2011).

The source of the outbreak remains inconclusive.