Avian influenza - final epidemiology report published
Defra has today published a final epidemiology report into the Avian Influenza outbreak confirmed in Oxfordshire on 4 June.
The report concludes that at the time of writing (2 July) infection was confined to a single premise, and there is no evidence of infection on any contact or geographically close premises, or evidence of spread of infection to any other premises to date
While it has not been possible to conclusively identify the source of the infection, the two most likely sources of the outbreak are thought to be:
* Unidentified Avian Influenza in domestic premises in Great Britain, associated either by proximity or potential contact, or
* Avian Influenza in wildlife in contact with the IP
Investigations are now complete.
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Alick Simmons, said
''This incident has demonstrated again the potential for avian influenza to be introduced into domestic poultry in the UK. The risk of further incidents, while low, remains. I urge poultry keepers to maintain the highest standards of biosecurity and to report suspicion of disease promptly including where records indicate increased mortality or reduced performance.''
Notes to editors
1. The report can be viewed at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/latest-situation/index.htm
2. Advice and information on H7N7 avian influence is available via the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77. Poultry keepers can also call the Animal Health recorded information line for the latest updates, on 0844 884 4600.
3. The Surveillance Zone and remaining disease control restrictions put in place following the outbreak of H7N7 avian Influenza in Oxfordshire were lifted on 8 July. The Protection Zone was lifted on 29 June. Some restrictions on trade with other countries remain. Further information is available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/int-trde/cins/2008/08115.htm
4. Avian Influenza is a disease of birds and whilst it can pass very rarely and with difficulty to humans, this usually requires extremely close contact with infected birds, particularly faeces. As a precautionary measure those who might have been exposed would be offered the appropriate treatment and protection in line with established protocols. Advice from the Food Standards Agency remains that properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are safe to eat.
Public enquiries 08459 335577;
Press notices are available on our website
http://www.defra.gov.uk
Defra's aim is sustainable development
End
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Website http://www.defra.gov.uk
Published on: 2008-07-11
Limited copyright is granted for you to use and/or republish any story on this site for
any legitimate media purpose as long as you reference 7thSpace and any source mentioned in the story above. Please
make sure to read our disclaimer prior to contacting 7thSpace Interactive. To contact our editors, visit our online helpdesk. If you wish submit your own press release, click here.
Social Bookmarking
Digg this! | Post to del.icio.us | Post to Furl | Add to Netscape | Add to Yahoo! | Rojo
|
|
There is a widespread link between avian flu and water, e.g. in Egypt to the Nile delta or Indonesia to residential districts of less prosperous humans with backyard flocks and without central water supply as in Vietnam: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol12no12/06-0829.ht m. See also the WHO web side: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/emergin g/h5n1background.pdf and http://www.umg-verlag.de/umwelt-medizin-gesellscha ft/407_m_s.html abstract in English “Influenza: Initial introduction of influenza viruses to the population via abiotic water supply versus biotic human viral respirated droplet shedding” and http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/P IIS1473309907700294/abstract?iseop=true “Transmission of influenza A in human beings”.
Avian flu infections may increase in consequence to increase of virus circulation. Transmission of avian flu by direct contact to infected poultry is an unproved assumption from the WHO. There is no evidence that influenza primarily is transmitted by saliva droplets.
Infected birds and poultry can everywhere contaminate the drinking water. All humans have contact to drinking water. In hot climates/the tropics flood-related influenza is typical after extreme weather and floods. Virulence of influenza viruses depends on temperature and time. Special in cases of local water supplies with “young” and fresh H5N1 contaminated water from low local wells, cisterns, tanks, rain barrels or rice paddies this pathway can explain small clusters in households. At 24°C e.g. in the tropics the virulence of influenza viruses in water amount to 2 days. In temperate climates for “older” water from central water supplies cold water is decisive to virulence of viruses. At 7°C the virulence of influenza viruses in water amount to 14 days.
Human to human and contact transmission of influenza occur - but are overvalued immense. In the course of influenza epidemics in Germany, recognized clusters are rare, accounting for just 9 percent of cases e.g. in the 2005 season. In temperate climates the lethal H5N1 virus will be transferred to humans via cold drinking water, as with the birds in February and March 2006, strong seasonal at the time when drinking water has its temperature minimum.
The performance to eliminate viruses from the drinking water processing plants regularly does not meet the requirements of the WHO and the USA/USEPA. Conventional disinfection procedures are poor, because microorganisms in the water are not in suspension, but embedded in particles. Even ground water used for drinking water is not free from viruses.
In temperate climates strong seasonal waterborne infections like the norovirus, rotavirus, salmonella, campylobacter and - differing from the usual dogma - influenza are mainly triggered off by drinking water, dependent on the water's temperature (in Germany it is at a minimum in February and March and at a maximum in August). In temperate climates the strong interdependence between influenza infections and environmental temperatures can't be explained by the primary biotic transmission by saliva droplets from human to human at temperatures of 37.5°C. There must be an abiotic vehicle like cold drinking water. There is no other appropriate abiotic vehicle. In Germany about 98 percent of inhabitants have a central public water supply with older and better protected water. Therefore, in Germany cold water is decisive to the virulence of viruses.
Dipl.-Ing. Wilfried Soddemann - Epidemiologist - Free Science Journalist soddemann-aachen@t-online.de
http://www.dugi-ev.de/information.html - Epidemiological Analysis: http://www.dugi-ev.de/TW_INFEKTIONEN_H5N1_20071019 .pdf