HEALTH 1/17-1/24/10 Weekly Bird & Other Flu Thread:Spike in H1N1 D225G Cases in Spain

Link to last weeks thread:

1/9-1/16/10 Weekly Bird & Other Flu Thread:H1N1 D225G D225N D225A in Ukraine Lungs

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=352392


Please See:

Confirmed cases of Swine Flu and maps
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=330689

Comprehensive Flu Thread, Latest reports, States, Countries, Closings.

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=330395

Useful Links:

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/facts.htm

Johns Hopkins on influenza:
http://www.iom.edu/Object.File/Master/33/450/Rashid Chotani.pdf

National Avian Influenza Surveillance Information:
http://wildlifedisease.nbii.gov/ai/

CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm

WHO
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/index.html

CIDRAP
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/

Official U.S. Government Web site
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/

FAO
http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/subjects/en/health/diseases-cards/special_avian.html

Public Health Agency of Canada
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/influenza/avian_qa_e.html

European Union
http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consumer/dyna/influenza/country_en.htm

The World Bank
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXT...68427~piPK:64168435~theSitePK:1793593,00.html

Spike in H1N1 D225G Cases in Spain Raises Concerns​

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01161001/D225G_Spain.html

As for the mutations detected by the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network in the last week have reported five new cases of mutation 'D222', three of them in two in the Basque Country and Andalusia.

Also, there is an increase in the number of viruses detected in cases from different regions who have the mutation 'D222E', with six patients in addition to the 34 already identified by the National Center for Microbiology.

So far Spain have been detected in ten cases with the D222G mutation. Three of them have occurred in Andalusia, three in the Basque Country, two in Catalonia, one in Castilla La Mancha and one in Galicia.

The above translation describes the doubling of D225G cases in Spain from 5 to 10 in one week. Moreover, 9 of the 10 were reported this month. In contrast, D225E, which is reported in Spain at a much higher frequency, rose from 34 to 40 reported cases. These data suggest D225G is increasing more quickly than D225E, even though D225E is much more prevalent. In public sequences from Catalonia, 60 sequences had the nucleotide change for D225E. Two also have the change for D225G, and two sequences have D225G without the D225E change. Both of these datasets suggest the ratio of D225G to D225E or wild type D225 is on the rise, even as cases decline.

This change in ratio is cause for concern. Mill Hill characterized a Ukraine isolate with D225G as a "low reactor" raising concerns that vaccinations, as well as natural immune responses to H1N1 infections will select for D225G and change ratios, as noted above.

At the time of the above report from Spain, WHO issued a report on D225G (called D222G using H1 numbering). The report noted that D225G have been identified in 52 patients, of which 26 were fatal. The report did not characterize the surviving patients, some of which are known to have been severe and some of which may still be hospitalized.

WHO characterized the cases as sporadic and spontaneous and lacking a geographic or temporal pattern and also warned of some examples which were positive when isolated in culture, but were not confirmed in original tissues.

However, most of the well known examples were from tissues that were necropsy or autopsy samples, and it was D225G or D225N in these tissue samples that raised alarms. The association with fatal cases was highest in samples collected during the traditional flu season, such as D225G in two lung samples or D225N in lung or throat samples tested at necropsy from July/August patients in Sao Paulo.

The movement of these markers from one genetic background to another, as well as fatal lung infections led to the prediction that D225G would be identified in fatal lung infections in Ukraine. Mill Hill confirmed this prediction when it released HA sequences from 10 patients. Nine were in western Ukraine and included lung samples from four fatal cases. All four samples were positive for D225G. Similarly, the CDC released sequences on two additional patients, which were almost certainly fatal and both samples had D225G. Later collections from lung samples in Kyiv and Chernihiv had D225G and D225N. The Kyiv sample also had D225A. In addition to the cases in Ukraine, patients with D225G and D225N have been reported in the United States, Mexico, Sweden, and Moldova all of which appear to be fatal or severe.

Similarly, the same sub-clade as seen in Ukraine and Moldova has been reported in fatal cases in Russia, supporting temporal and geographic clustering as well as transmission. Moreover, a fatal cluster in Romania also appears to involve D225G.

Thus, the association of D225G with a cases fatality rate in some countries of 100% and increases in reports and rations, such as the above report from Spain continue to increase concerns that the next H1N1 wave will have D225G/N at higher frequencies leading to more severe cases and fatalities.

Outbreak of avian flu in West Bengal's Murshidabad district​

http://netindian.in/news/2010/01/17/0004884/outbreak-avian-flu-west-bengals-murshidabad-district

The Union Government has notified an outbreak of avian influenza in Hazrabati and Nagar villages of Khargram block in the Murshidabad district of West Bengal and has deputed a three-member Central Rapid Response Team to assist the state health authorities.

The notification by the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries (DADF) comes less than three months after India had declared itself free from the notifiable avian influenza (H5N1) and notified it to the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health).

An official press release said containment measures had been initiated as per the contingency plan of DADF. Culling of birds has started and so far 3209 birds have been culled, it said.

The release said 197 poultry workers involved in culling operations had been put on chemoprophylaxis.

According to the release, the micro-planning for active surveillance had been done. Surveillance activities have started in a radius of three kilometres from where the outbreak has occured. It said that out of a total population of 40,266 (spread over 23 villages), 36,514 people had been covered by yesterday.

The release said 19 cases of upper respiratory tract infection (URI)/fever had been identified in the community but they had no exposure history to sick/dead poultry. The identified hospital in the area had reported 36 cases of fever with URI but none of them had history of contact with infected poultry.


The release said the State Government had adequate stocks of oseltamivir and personal protective equipment. The situation is being monitored on a daily basis, it added.

Confirmed H1N1 D225G Transmission in Italian Family​

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01171001/D225G_Italy_Cluster.html

Following retrospective examination of the sequences of strains of influenza virus pandemic A/H1N1v by the National Influenza Center of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Parasitic and immune-mediated, we have identified two cases in total, bound together, in which a mutation was present that led to the replacement of an amino acid in hemagglutinin (D222G). The infection was transmitted from a patient suffering from a severe viral pneumonia in a family, but he has since developed a flu syndrome with benign course.

The above translation from the Italian Ministry of Health describes the transmission of D225G (aka D222G) within a family in Italy. Media reports indicate the index case (24M) was on an ECMO machine and in an induced coma for 15 days. He eventually recovered as did a family member, who had a milder course. Sequences from both patients had D225G, confirming trasmission within the family, or transmission to the family from a common souce.

Although some initial comments from Norway suggested D225G was spontaneous and did not transmit, there was no scientific basis for such a statement. Norway re-evaluated samples because of sequences from Ukraine, which had D225G in multiple fatal fatal cases from multiple locations in western Ukraine, providing the georgraphical and temporal data supporting transmission. Although an ECDC report also cited spontaneus mutations, the WHO document on D225G merely said that the detection was sporatic. D225G or D225N had already been found in 8 cases in Ukraine and all 8 appeared to be fatal including two cases which had both changes. In Ukraine all sequences were on the same general genetic background, which contained two markers on PB2, one of which was K340D. However, within Ukraine there were well define subclades and D225G had crossed sub-clades, supporting jumps via recombination.

In the Italian cluster above, both family members survived and one case was mild, even thogh both cases had D225G. However, influenza is a heterogeneous disease and results can vary, even when the same virus infects two family members, because of host factors as well as viral levels in the initial infection.

This differential response was also seen in a familial cluster in Romainia which likely involved D225G. One family mmeber (46M) had a mild course, while two other family members (42F and 19F), and the fiancee (21M) of the daughter were hospitalized, and two cluster members died (42F and 21M) creating a CFR of 50% within the cluster and an attack rate of 100%.

Thus, highly lethal H1N1 variants can be both lethal and transmissible.

The case fatality rate in several countries is 100% for D225G/N isolates raising concerns that the spread of such variants would be catastrophic if such variants become dominant. Sequence data on these familial clusters as well as additional fatalities in Ukraine and surrounding countries would be useful.

Over 3,200 poultry culled in bird flu-hit Murshidabad district​

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-Murshidabad-district/articleshow/5456988.cms

NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: Over 3,200 poultry have been culled in bird-flu hit Murshidabad district of West Bengal, a health ministry official said.
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A three-member rapid response team from the central government has already reached the state.

"Culling of birds has started and so far 3,209 birds have been culled," a central health ministry official said here Sunday.

"A Central Rapid Response Team of the health ministry has been deputed to assist the state health authorities. Containment measures have been initiated as per the contingency plan," the official added.

The surveillance activities have started in a 3 km radius of the flu-hit blocks. Out of a total population of 40,266 (spread over 23 villages), 36,514 has been covered.

Though 19 cases of fever have been reported among the people of the region, authorities said none of them had any exposure to sick or dead poultry.

The central health ministry also said that the state government has adequate stock of oseltamivir medicine and personal protective equipment (PPE).

A fresh outbreak of bird flu was reported in West Bengal's Murshidabad district Jan 14.

INDONESIA: Bird flu cases down but risk remains high​

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87771

JAKARTA, 18 January 2010 (IRIN) - Indonesia reported fewer deaths from bird flu in 2009, but health specialists warn that the risk to humans remains high.

Indonesia's Health Ministry said 20 people were infected with the H5N1 avian influenza virus last year and 19 cases were fatal. The country recorded 24 cases in 2008, 20 fatal.

Since 2005, Indonesia has had 161 bird flu cases, with 134 deaths, making the country's death toll from the virus the highest in the world.

“There has been a lull recently. We have not had positive cases since November,” Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih told reporters on 15 January.

“The trend is similar across the world. Some diseases are seasonal, and we have to continue to be vigilant," he said.

Sedyaningsih said effective surveillance and measures to control the disease in poultry had contributed to the decrease.

However, Gregory Härtl, a WHO spokesman in Geneva, told IRIN: “Our risk assessment has not changed,” with the number of deaths in 2009 very similar to 2008.

According to WHO data, globally, 32 people died of bird flu last year, against 33 in 2008.

Härtl noted that “governments are very aware of the challenge and threat posed by H5N1 and are reacting well”.

Monitoring

Agus Wiyono, director of animal health at Indonesia's Agriculture Ministry, said there had been no major outbreaks of bird flu in fowl over the past three years.

Participatory Disease Searching and Response (PDSR) teams were working to monitor and report cases of bird flu in 70,000 villages, with real-time data available in 10,000 villages, Wiyono said.

“If there are new cases, they will be reported to PDSR. No reports mean there are no new cases of avian influenza,” he said.

Only two of the country's 33 provinces – North Maluku and Gorontalo – are free from bird flu, while West Kalimantan will soon be declared bird-flu free, he said.

CONFIRMED CASES OF H5N1 IN INDONESIA
YEAR CASES DEATHS
2005 20 13
2006 55 45
2007 42 37
2008 24 20
2009 20 19
TOTAL 161 134
SOURCE: WHO as of 30 December 2009

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that 134 villages under surveillance were positive for H5N1 in poultry in October 2009, and the virus was endemic on Java, Sumatra and Sulawesi islands, according to WHO.

However, Chairil Anwar Nidom, a microbiologist at Universitas Airlangga in Surabaya, the provincial capital of East Java Province, cast doubt on the effectiveness of the reporting system.

“It's likely that cases in several regions have gone unreported. The reporting system isn't very good,” he said.

“If we look at the method of transmission, from birds to humans, the situation may have not improved. The risk for humans has not decreased,” he said.

Poultry ban

In 2007, backyard chickens were banned in the capital Jakarta and authorities announced plans to relocate poultry farms and slaughterhouses from the city by April this year.

“So far it has not been carried out seriously. I think the Jakarta plan can be used as a yardstick to measure how successful our efforts are to curb bird flu,” Nidom said. “If Jakarta succeeded, other regions would follow suit.”

Indonesia needed to set up a new body after the National Commission on Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness is disbanded in March this year, when its mandate expires, Nidom said.

“The commission has been at the forefront of public education on bird flu. Unless there's a replacement, the public awareness campaign is likely to take a backseat,” he said.

Indonesia stopped announcing individual cases of bird flu last year and the country has been criticized for refusing to share virus specimens, arguing that the current global virus-sharing system under WHO was unfair because poor countries benefited little from vaccine produced by foreign companies.

Health Minister Sedyaningsih said: “We still insist that the responsibility to share viruses should be on an equal footing with the benefits we receive," adding that developing nations insisted that use of specimens shared under the WHO system by third parties, including vaccine manufacturers, required permission from originating countries.

I'm curious, why be concerned with these type flues? Its well known now that the swine was a fake, vaccines were more lethal, and both were probably intentional. This applies to bird flu as well. More people die from complications due to the common cold.

In addition, any of the influenza type flues are easily remedied with a combination of lomatium root oil, black elderberry, and anti inflammatory. Wear a surgical mask night and day while your lungs heal. it helps prevent infection and reduces cough.

I used Lomatium and black elderberry and it even cured other chronic issues Ive had. I couldn't believe it.

Bird flu kills 270 chickens in E Java​

http://www.antara.co.id/en/news/1263904229/bird-flu-kills-270-chickens-in-e-java

Pamekasan, E Java (ANTARA News) - Pamekasan regency`s veterinary office here Tuesday has destroyed 270 bird flu-infected chickens to prevent the spread of this dangerous virus in East Java.

Those infected chickens were burned down in Pademawu Timur village, Pademawu Suburb, by local veterinary and health officials.

"We destroy the chickens to protect us from the infection of bird flu virus," Head of Pamekasan`s Veterinary Office Hanafi Hendrayana said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), avian influenza or "bird flu" is a contagious disease of animals caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs.

The WHO has warned that the infection with avian influenza viruses could spread very rapidly through poultry flocks.

Over these past few days, the bird flu viruses had attacked a few hundreds of chicken in Pademawu Timur village. The number of infected chickens tended to increase, he said.

By January 11, at least 270 chickens had been positively confirmed after the veterinary officials came to the village to conduct a rapid test to 100 chickens, which reportedly got sudden death.

All of the chickens belonged to local resident, Yuni Astuti, he said, adding that this case was the second over these past seven months.

Hendrayana said the first bird flu attack was found in mid 2009. At that time, 40 chicken of Proppo Suburb residents suddenly died.

The veterinary officials, who came to the area, found that the sudden death of those ill-fated chickens was positively bird flu virus, he added.

Indonesia has been dealing with the bird flu cases since 2005. However, this H5N1 typed influenza is also recorded to have attacked chicken and birds in other Asian countries, such as Thailand, Cambodia, China, and Viet Nam.

Murung Raya, Central Kalimantan ::: Bird flu expands to Murung Raya​

http://birdflucorner.wordpress.com/...l-kalimantan-bird-flu-expands-to-murung-raya/

Puruk Cahu – Veterinary Investigation and Research Center Regional VI Banjarbaru finally announced the laboratory result of thousands of chicken death cause in Kabupaten Murung Raya (Mura). From samples of six dead chickens, all of them tested positive bird flu H5N1 infection. This was announced by the Vice Chief of Kabupaten Murung Raya, Nuryakin on Friday (15/1). This result confirmed that five municipals (kabupaten) in Central Kalimantan – Kapuas, Pulang Pisang, Palangkaraya, Barito Timur and Murung Raya - had been infected by bird flu virus.

Those laboratory confirmation for Barito Timur and Murung Raya had been delayed, so that control measures haven’t been done so far.

Samples of Murung Raya were collected from three sub-districts (kecamatan) where cases of suddenly dead chickens had been found. Name of the sub-districts with number of dead chickens are: 1000 chickens in Murung, 250 chickens in Tanah Siang and 500 chickens in Laung Tuhup.

Nuryakin, in an hour emergency meeting with Livestock and Agriculture Service, Health Service and Director of regional hospital Suria Siri, pointed out this incident would not only be the responsibility certain government’s components but should be comprehensible to be everyone’s responsibility and duty.

Nuryakin also mentioned this virus could cause about 99 percent mortality within only a week incubation period. Furthermore, he suggested people to maintain healthy life and keep being aware. Municipal government of Kabupaten Mura had announced emergency status for livestock, however so far the government does not restrict any chicken’s transport into the Mura territory, as long as the birds transported have certification of free of H5N1.

Separately, Chief of Kabupaten Mura, Willy M Yoseph, immediately instructed to take a prompt action for control and prevention since this could threat human life.

Source: Indonesia local newspaper, Kalteng Pos.

http://www.kaltengpos.com/berita/index.asp?Berita=Fokus&id=49611

Q226R In Fatal H1N1 Infection of Oregon Cat
​

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01201002/Q226R_cat_OR.html

The cat, a 10-year-old male, was brought to the Animal Clinic in Lebanon on Nov. 4 with labored breathing. A family member had been sick with a flulike illness about a week earlier.
The cat's condition worsened and, three days later, it died.

The above comments describe the first reported fatal infection of a cat with H1N1. The HA and NA sequences form A/cat/Oregon/29573/2009 were released by the National Veterinary Services in Ames, IA. The sequences contain the receptor binding domain change Q226R. Although this change was present as a mix in isolates last spring, including the vaccine target California/7, it is being reported more frequently. Moreover, H5N1 has a Q at position 226, which is thought to generate at alpha 2,3 specificity, which may be associated with the ability to replicate is a subset of lung cells. Differences in outcomes between the child and cat in the above household may be linked to receptor differences between humans and cats.

Additional reports have described at least two more fatal infections of H1N1 in cats and several additional non-fatal infections. The first sequence released, from a cat in Iowa, did not have the receptor binding domain change.

Release of addition H1N1 sequences from cats would be useful.

Fatal H1N1 D225G In India Raises Concerns
​

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01201001/D225G_India_Fatal.html

The number of throat swabs of critical patients being sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) for testing H1N1 infection has witnessed a two-fold increase in the last one month .

Commenting on the point genetic mutation seen in throat swabs of three patients who succumbed to the virus, Chadha said, "We didn't see any change in the genetic make-up of the virus after that." Of the three patients, two were from Pune and one from Nashik, said Chadha. The mutation was detected in the haemagglutinin (HA) region of the virus' gene, she added.

The above comments strongly suggest that D225G is linked to fatal cases in India. Earlier reports had described the detection of D225G in India and the CDC recently released an HA sequence at GISAID with D225G. However, earlier reports did not include outcomes. The above would confirm that D225G is in 3 of 3 fatal cases. Although the above report describes the change as a point mutation, phylogenetic analysis indicates the D225G is spread via recombination. Cases are cluster on preferred backgrounds and the recombination involves adjacent polymorphisms.

The above comments also cite an increase in swabs from critical cases, raising concerns that D225G is not only being detected at a higher rate, but is representing a high frequency in severe or fatal cases.

Release of the sequences from the D225G positive cases would be useful.

Pamekasan, East Java ::: Official culls hundred of chickens​

http://birdflucorner.wordpress.com/...east-java-official-culls-hundred-of-chickens/

Bird flu H5N1 subtype, which was an exotic disease before 2004 in Indonesia, has devastated poultry industries and threatened human population. Over the period of 2004 until now, H5N1 outbreaks still cannot be eradicated, in fact, Indonesia holds the top rank of most case of H5N1 human infection.

Indonesia news sources have been helping a lot, by keep reporting new of H5N1 outbreaks in chickens or human cases (whether it’s suspected or confirmed,). Giving all those important information to the BFIC and other readers all over the world, helping us to keep studying and monitoring the trend of the virus.

An article from Indonesia news office, ANTARA, about officials culled chicken in Pamekasan, East Java due to bird flu infection. This is related to previous Pamekasan outbreak.

Nepal Fatal Cluster Raises Concerns
​

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01201004/Nepal_Cluster.html

After a couple's death, paramedics have suspected possible swine flu (H1N1 virus) outbreak in a remote Sinhasain village of Dailekh district.

Bhim Bahadur Thapa Magar, 50, and his wife Maisara, 55, of Banskatiya of Sinhasain-7 died on Tuesday evening. They were suffering from common cold.

According to Health Assitant Binod Kathayat, more than 15 others are receiving treatment at the local health post for serious common cold.

"They are suffering from the cold that looks serious," Bhakta Bahadur Malla of District Health Office. "So we have deployed a team of two including the in-charge at Ram Karnali Health Post Geharaj Khanal and Health Assistant Khem Raj Buda with necessary medicine."

The above comments describe another fatal H1N1 cluster, in Nepal, which follows a similar cluster in Romania. Reports of receptor binding domain changes at position 225 (D225G and D225N) continue to increase along with associated deaths. India recently confirmed that the three cases with D225G were fatal and the WHO update indicated 50% of sequences with D225G were from fatal cases.

The designation of an isolate with D225G as a low reactor raises concerns that the increasing immunity to H1N1 will select for isolates with D225G.

Sequence data on the isolates from the above fatal cluster would be useful.

Ukraine Dead Top 1000 - Donetsk Fatalities Grow​

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01201003/Ukraine_1005.html

4,324,282 Influenza/ARI

256,941 Hospitalized

1005 Dead

The updated numbers from the Ukraine Ministry of Health website indicates the number dead have now topped 1000. The 1005 fatalities reported on Tuesday is 9 higher than Monday's total, with 153 in Donetsk (see map), which is 5 higher than the previous day. Alrhough the infection rate in Dontsk is below the epidemic threshold, the continuing increase in fatalities raises concerns that H1N1 with D225G/N in Ukraine is becoming more common.

An earlier isolate from Ukraine with D225G was classified as a low reactor, indicating the ferrent reference anti-sera produced a titer at least 4 four lower than the vaccine. This reduced titer raises concerns that D225G will offer a selective advantage in a population developing protective antibodies. The decline in cases across the Ukraine increases those concerns because the reduction in wild type receptors reduces the competing viral genomes. The 153 deaths in Donetsk is 50% higher than the second highest Oblast (Lviv with 103 deaths), which increases concerns of fatal variants in eastern Ukraine, along the border with Russia.

More information on deaths on the Russian side of the border would be useful.

India bird flu outbreak: 26,000 birds culled​

http://www.vetsweb.com/news/india-bird-flu-outbreak-26-000-birds-culled-834.html

Over 26,000 birds have been culled in West Bengal's bird-flu hit Murshidabad district, a health ministry official said.

The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, under the ministry of agriculture, reported the avian influenza outbreak in Hazrabati and Nagar villages in Murshidabad on 14 January.

'Culling of birds has started and so far 26,963 birds have been culled and 1,286 eggs have been destroyed,' said a statement. The union health ministry has stationed a 3-member central rapid response team at Murshidabad to assist the state health authorities.

According to officials, containment measures have been initiated. Additionally, about 353 poultry workers involved in culling operations have been put on chemoprophylaxis - a medicine given to prevent the disease or infection from spreading to humans.

Seven thousand chickens died of bird flu​

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-01/22/content_9364379.htm

About 7,000 chickens died of H5N2 bird flu on a chicken farm of Changhua County, Taiwan, chinataiwan.org reported today.

There are some 50,000 chickens on this farm, and the death rate this month is 10 times higher than the average. But no sick chickens were reportedly sold on the market, the report said.

"The bird flu epidemic in the farm has been under control. All staff and animals have been isolated but we are not going to kill all chickens in the farm," said Chou-Che Kuo, head of the prevention unit of Changhua county.

Low-Path Bird Flu Reported in Taiwan​

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/19357/lowpath-bird-flu-reported-in-taiwan

The Taiwanese veterinary authority sent an Immediate Notification dated 21 January to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The report describes an outbreak of LPAI in a flock of 49,000 birds in Fang-Yuan township in Chang-Hua on the western side of Taiwan. Starting on 9 January, 3,000 birds showed symptoms and 1,915 of them died.

The H5N2 sub-type of the virus has been identified.

According to the report, Samples have been collected and sent to the national laboratory for active surveillance. The haemagglutination inhibition test, RT-PCR, real-time RT-PCR tests and virus isolation have been completed. The positive results of laboratory tests and low mortality demonstrate that the causal agent of this outbreak is low pathogenic avian influenza virus. Nevertheless, for confirming the virulence of the virus, IVPI test and gene sequencing are on the way and the results will be provided to the OIE in the follow up report.

This outbreak is co-infected with chicken infectious anemia, mycoplasma and avian infectious bronchitis. Disinfection and cleaning of this farm has been conducted and completed. Movement control has been also implemented. Nineteen poultry farms within one-kilometre radius of the index farm have been under vigilant monitoring and no clinical or epidemiological evidence of infection has been found.

The last outbreak of the disease on Taiwan was in November 2008.

Initial H1N1 Attack Rate Raises Pandemic Concerns​

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/01221001/Attack_Rate.html

In London and the West Midlands, the difference in the proportion of samples with haemagglutination inhibition titre equal to or above 1:32 between baseline and September, 2009, was 21·3% (95% CI 8·8—40·3) for children younger than 5 years of age, 42·0% (26·3—58·2) for 5—14-year-olds, and 20·6% (1·6—42·4) for 15—24-year-olds…..

Around one child in every three was infected with 2009 pandemic H1N1 in the first wave of infection in regions with a high incidence, ten times more than estimated from clinical surveillance.

The above comments indicate that H1N1 infections in children in England in the first wave were about 10 fold higher than levels reflected in clinical surveillance. However, it is likely that H1N1 infections were even higher than frequencies based on neutralizing antibody levels equal or above 32. Anecdotal reports of lab confirmed re-infections suggest initial infections did not produce protective antibody levels. Similarly, clinical trials in Australia indicated 31% of participants had titers of 40 or higher at baseline and most increased titers by at least four fold after vaccination, further indicating that initial infections did not produce robust titers.

In other countries such as the United States, the frequency in students in hard hit areas was markedly higher than 30-40%. Although schools were instructed to stay open if physically possible, many school districts closed because of absenteeism in faculty and staff. Those that remained open saw absenteeism rates were above 20% for extended periods of time. Since students were instructed to return to class after being fever free for 24 hours, many students were only absent 1-3 days. Moreover many were asymptomatic or without fever, so they were not absent. Consequently schools with double digit daily absenteeism for 1-2 weeks had a likely attack rate that approached 100%.

In many areas which had two waves, the target population of the second wave was somewhat older, suggesting a high percentage of the under 65 population was infected with H1N1. This widespread immunity will put pressure on the virus to grow at higher levels or escape from the immune response, leading to concerns of a more severe upcoming wave. Reports of receptor binding domain changes, especially at position 225 appear almost daily, raising concerns that this sub-clade could be transmitting at a much higher frequency in subsequent outbreaks. In some countries the cases fatality rate for D225G/N is at 100% and today’s weekly epidemiological report indicates that over-all 50% of sequences with D225G are from fatal cases. Recent death clusters in Romania and Nepal raise concerns that the frequency in severe and fatal cases will be markedly higher in the next wave.

More outcome data on sequence characterization sheets would be useful.

Police aid bird culling teams in flu-hit areas​

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...eams-in-flu-hit-areas/articleshow/5490242.cms

BEHRAMPORE: After meeting with stiff resistance from villagers, the Murshidabad district administration, on Friday, took the help of police to
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forcefully cull poultry in the bird flu-affected areas of Khargram.

Khargram BDO Kalyan Kumar Das and Kandi SDO Utpal Bhadra went to Sherpur and Nagar villages with a large police backup and oversaw the culling operations. Birds were forcefully seized from villagers who tried to resist the culling teams.

"We have decided to forcefully cull birds from villagers who refuse to co-operate with us. In those cases, no compensation will be given," said Murshidabad DM Parwez Ahmed Siddiquie. "A large number of flu-affected birds are alive, as locals aren't handing them over hoping that the birds would get cured. We haven't got the desired success in culling ducks, too. If we keep even a single bird alive in the affected areas, there is a probability of an outbreak next year too. If the administration remains inactive, the virus might also spread to the human body. So, we had to take a stern decision."

Khargram panchayat samiti sabhapati Abul Kashem said, "About 45 culling teams have been working for the past week in seven gram panchayat areas. By this time, the culling operation should have ideally got over but so far, we have culled only 55,000 birds."

Villagers were also seen demonstrating against the district administration's move at several places.

The Khargram sabhapati said that very few people had handed over ducks. "Villagers are handing over hens, since they have started getting compensation on the spot. But they aren't handing over ducks. Seeing this resistance, there was no option for the district administration other than forceful culling," he said.

Barwan panchayat samiti sabhapati Krishnendu Roy said: "Last year, many people of my block didn't get the one-time grant of Rs 500 from the government. So, there is some unwillingness to hand over birds to the culling teams. Culling operations have also begun in some parts of Kalyanpur-I gram panchayat from Friday."

He said there is an urgent need to revise the compensation. "There's not much difference in the rates for big and medium-sized birds. So, people are mostly only handing over the medium-sized birds, keeping the full-grown birds with them. We have appealed to the government and district administration to revise the compensation rates," Roy said.

Nearly 70,000 chickens culled in West Bengal ​

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/...kens+culled+in+West+Bengal&artid=SjBIqcczX50=

NEW DELHI: Nearly 70,000 chickens have been culled in West Bengal's bird-flu hit Murshidabad district, officials said here Thursday.

"The situation is being monitored on a daily basis. So far 69,885 birds have been culled and 6,214 eggs have been destroyed," a statement issued here said.

The outbreak of avian influenza was notified in Murshidabad district Jan 14. Since then, officials said, two more epicentres have surfaced in the district at Haripur and Ninur. Faridpur village of Burwan block was also notified Jan 17 as avian-flu hit.

The union health ministry has stationed a three-member rapid response team at Murshidabad to monitor the situation and assist the state health authorities.

Bird flu normally infects only birds and, less commonly, pigs.

Officials said that over 400 poultry workers and veterinary surgeons are involved in the culling operations.

Link to next weeks thread:

1/25-2/1/10 Weekly Bird & Other Flu Thread:Police aid bird culling teams in India

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=353557