H5N1

CIDRAP: Avian flu strikes more flocks in France, Nigeria, Taiwan

Via CIDRAP, Lisa Schnirring writes: Avian flu strikes more flocks in France, Nigeria, Taiwan. Excerpt:

France's agriculture ministry today announced another highly pathogenic H5 avian flu outbreak in poultry, affecting another new area in the southwestern part of the country, raising the total so far to 66. 

Elsewhere, Nigeria reported four more H5N1 outbreaks in its poultry sector, Taiwan reported 10 more outbreaks from two different highly pathogenic strains, and Hong Kong reported that tests on a dead egret yielded H5N6, the same strain that recently sickened two women—one of them fatally—in southern China. 

H5N1 causes latest French outbreak 

The pace of France's outbreaks has slowed since the events began in late November, but the country continues to report sporadic detections, with the 63rd and 64th outbreaks reported at the end of December in Dordogne and Gers, two departments that had earlier been affected by the virus. 

The most recent update from France's agriculture ministry said the outbreak total stands at 66 today, apparently due to another detection in Landes for which no details were provided. 

French officials said the first outbreak in Lot department—the country's 65th—occurred at a farm in the town of Miers that housed 260 Guinea fowl, 280 ducks, 650 chickens, and 60 broiler hens, according to an official statement translated and posted by Avian Flu Diary, an infectious disease news blog. It involved the H5N1 strain. 

France's outbreaks have been caused by a new highly pathogenic Eurasian H5N1 strain, as well as H5N2 and H5N9.

France: Avian flu outbreaks hit 64

Via The Poultry Site: French Bird Flu Outbreak Total Hits 64.

The latest reports from the French Agriculture Ministry put the total number of highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks at 64, affecting six southwestern regions. 

Most of the outbreaks reported in an update on 31 December occurred in the Landes region. 

One of these was discovered in a duck feeding operation in Cagnotte following clinical signs of disease, whilst another seven were found as a result of checks on ducks sent to slaughter in the Doazit restricted area. Three of these were found in in the town of Eyres Moncube, two of which are associated with an H5N9 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza, and another four in Cazalis, Hauriet, Mugron and Montsoue. 

In Dordogne, the region in which the outbreaks were first discovered, an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was found on 30 December 2015 on a farm of 30 chickens, 150 pigeons and four peacocks in the town of Celles. 

In Gers, an outbreak was confirmed just before Christmas in Montaut on a farm holding 415 geese.  

In Hautes-Pyrénées, an outbreak was identified in Bazillac on a farm of 3,000 ducks and 2,600 geese.  

For most of these outbreaks, the viral strain is being determined.

France reports outbreaks of low-pathogenic H5N3 bird flu - OIE

Via Thomson Reuters: France reported outbreaks of low-pathogenic H5N3 bird flu - OIE.

France reported three outbreaks of low pathogenic H5N3 bird flu in three farms in the southwestern part of the country, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on its website on Wednesday, citing the French agriculture ministry. 

The report did not detail in which type of birds the disease was found but said the virus was detected in samples taken as part of national surveillance and during animal movements. 

Two outbreaks were found in the Landes department and one in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques. 

France, the European Union's largest agriculture producer, has been facing cases of bird flu since late last month involving three highly pathogenic strains H5N1, H5N2 and H5N9. 

The French farm minister said on Monday these strains had no risk of spreading to humans.

Mike Coston at Avian Flu Diary has an earlier version of the story (H5N3 has just been identified), and helpful background.

French bird flu outbreak spreads to new region

Via Reuters: French bird flu outbreak spreads to new region.

France detected a case of highly pathogenic bird flu in the Pyrenees-Atlantiques region on Friday, taking to five the number of regions affected by the outbreak in the country's southwest. 

H5N9 avian influenza was confirmed on a farm with 1,500 ducks in the village of Arroses, the agriculture ministry said in an update on its website. 

It is the 13th case in an outbreak that started with the detection of H5N1 bird flu in Dordogne on Nov. 24. The cases are the first known ones in France in eight years. 

The outbreak is affecting France's main foie gras producing region just before demand peaks over the year-end holiday season, although the authorities have stressed there is no evidence that bird flu can be transmitted to humans via food. 

However, France is facing restrictions on poultry products as well as live birds from trading partners including Japan, the world's largest importer of French foie gras. 

The discovery in France of several bird flu strains in a short space of time is unusual but unlikely to turn into a crisis as in the United States, where millions of poultry were culled this year, the head of World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) told Reuters on Thursday.

France: Now ten outbreaks of avian flu

Via The Poultry Site: French Bird Flu Outbreak Total Rises to Ten. Excerpt:

The total number of recent French highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks has risen to ten, with the confirmation of four more outbreaks. 

Three of the new outbreaks were detected in Dordogne, and one in Haute-Vienne. 

More information was also revealed about all ten outbreaks today, in reports from the French authorities to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). 

Four outbreaks in Dordogne and the one in Haute-Vienne have been identified as the highly pathogenic H5N1 serotype of the virus, through laboratory testing. 

Additional samples on a Dordogne duck farm infected with the H5N1 virus were shown to contain a H5N9 strain as well. 

Several of the outbreaks occurred on backyard poultry holdings, and some happened on duck farms including fois gras operations. 

Two Dordogne outbreaks have been listed as H5N2 strains of the virus, in Domme and Cenac et Saint Julien. 

Three outbreaks of the H5N9 highly pathogenic flu strain take the total to ten. Of these, two occurred in Dordogne and one in Landes. 

In total, over 45,000 birds have already been culled as a result of these outbreaks, to try and prevent the virus from spreading. 

In addition, two outbreaks of a low-pathogenic H5N2 strain have been reported in the Landes region. The affected premises were both duck farms involved with fois gras production, and held over 3000 animals in total.

Mike Coston at Avian Flu Diary has a new post reporting the outbreaks now total 12.

CIDRAP flu scan for December 9: More avian flu in France

Via CIDRAP: Flu Scan for Dec 09, 2015 | Egg allergies and LAIV; More avian flu in France; Avian flu in Taiwan, Germany, Russia. Excerpt:

France's avian flu outbreaks expanded in number, affected regions, and strains involved, as officials confirmed 4 new outbreaks—or 10 total—the Haute-Vienne region reported an event, and H5N9 has been noted in at least 2 of the outbreaks, Reuters and French officials reported today. 

The H5N1 strain was detected at a poultry farm in Haute-Vienne, Reuters reported, but officials did not specify how many birds were involved. In addition France's agriculture department confirmed avian flu on a farm of 1,000 ducks, in a flock of 630 ducks, and in 30 ducks, geese, and chickens in Dordogne region, which has now had seven outbreaks. The larger duck farm was infected with an H5 virus of unknown strain, the mixed-poultry flock had H5N1 avian flu, and the smaller duck flock was affected by an unspecific avian flu strain. 

A translated version of the agriculture department's update was posted today by Avian Flu Diary, an infectious disease blog. The other two previously reported outbreaks were in the Landes region. 

Eight countries have restricted imports of French poultry and poultry products because of the outbreaks, Reuters reported, including Japan, which is France's leading importer of foie gras, which is the liver of fattened duck or goose. The country's foie gras industry has been hit hard by the outbreaks. 

A reassortant H5N9 virus detected in live-bird market poultry was reported by Chinese scientists in June, but no recent outbreak has been previously attributed to the strain.

Novel H5N9 avian flu virus discovered in China

Via The Poultry Site: Novel Avian Flu Virus Discovered in China.

Chinese researchers who analysed influenza viruses from poultry in live-bird markets say they have discovered a novel H5N9 virus, which is a hybrid of various other avian influenza viruses. 

The hybrid received a highly pathogenic H5 gene from the H5N1 avian flu virus and an N9 gene from a human-infecting H7N9 virus, along with other elements. However, the virus only caused low mortality rates when tested on mice. 

The authors took samples in 2013 from seven chickens, a quail, and a duck at two live-bird markets in Hangzhou, a city in Zhejiang province, which were linked to outbreaks of human H7N9 cases. The report does not indicate that any of the birds were displaying symptoms of avian flu. 

The team isolated 13 viruses from the samples: 1 H5N1, 2 H5N9, 4 H9N2, and 6 H7N9. 

By sequencing the whole genomes of the two H5N9 isolates, the researchers determined that their hemagglutinin (H) protein matched that of a 2012 H5N1 isolate from Vietnam, while their neuraminidase (N) component derived from a human H7N9 isolate from Hangzhou. 

They also noted that the structure of the H cleavage site is characteristic of highly pathogenic viruses. The six internal genes resembled those of H5N1, H7N9, and H9N2 viruses. 

The pathogenicity of the novel virus in mammals was tested by exposing mice to various doses. Some mice exposed to the highest doses died, but mice receiving lower doses did not suffer from the disease, and the authors concluded that the virus causes low mortality in mice. They also found that the virus didn't spread from infected mice to others placed with them. 

The team determined that the novel H5N9 virus prefers avian-type cell receptors, known as alpha2,3 sialic acid, rather than the human-type receptor, called alpha2,6. They said this may explain why the virus caused low mortality in mice. 

The report says a highly pathogenic H5N9 virus was found in turkeys in Ontario in 1966, and low-pathogenic H5N9 strains have been found in mallards, northern pintails, and occasionally chickens in the past few decades. But the novel virus is "totally different" from those, the authors concluded. 

"This newly isolated H5N9 virus is a highly pathogenic reassortant virus originating from H5N1, H7N9, and H9N2 subtypes," they wrote. "Live bird markets represent a potential transmission risk to public health and the poultry industry."

The original report is here.