H5N2 in West Virginia

Today it was learned that turkeys on a commercial farm were found to be infected with Low Pathogenic H5N2.

I am, in no way, concerned about this outbreak of H5N2, in and of itself.  It is not at all unusual, or unheard of that we would have an Avian Influenza outbreak in any one or a number of our commercial poultry farms.  It has happened in the past, and it will certainly happen again in the future.  What does concern me is the apparent Ho-Hum treatment of this event.

There is a reason why domestic poultry is culled.  Any Avian Influenza has the capability of turning into a Highly Pathogenic variety and we don't know the why's behind the switch.  But it begs the BIG QUESTION...

How, exactly, are these birds, in what are supposed to be bio-secure facilities, getting infected?  It happens periodically, and is treated as a "cost of doing business", but I would have assumed (oh how I HATE that word) that with the threat of H5N1 hanging over the heads of these commercial operations that bio-security would rival a NASA lab, and in fact, we have been told just such platitudes and reassurances.

 

Likely low-path bird flu found in W. Virginia: USDA

Turkeys at a farm in West Virginia have tested positive for what government officials believe is a low-pathogenic strain of the bird flu virus, the U.S. Agriculture Department said late on Sunday.

Preliminary tests indicated the turkeys had a low-pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza virus. USDA officials said they can say "for certain" it's not the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus that has spread through birds in Asia, Europe and Africa.

A spokesman with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture would not identify the farm but said it was located in Pendleton County in the east-central part of the state.

"Every indication is that the virus is consistent with low pathogenic strains of avian influenza, or LPAI, which are commonly found in birds and typically cause only minor sickness or no noticeable symptoms," USDA Chief Veterinarian John Clifford said in a statement.

He added the detection in West Virginia should not "significantly impact" exports of U.S. poultry.

The samples were collected by an industry group as part of a routine before slaughter, USDA said. The birds showed no sign of illness or mortality. The samples were collected on Friday from a flock of about 25,000 birds that will now be destroyed to prevent the virus from mutating and spreading.

A low-pathogenic strain, which produces less disease and mortality in birds than does a high-pathogenic version, poses no threat to humans.

Continues at link...

 

From Wikipedia's entry on H5N2...

Japan's Health Ministry said May 11, 2006 that 93 poultry farm workers near Tokyo may have been exposed to H5N2 (which was not previously known to infect humans) in 2005. "Preliminary tests on the workers were positive for H5N2 antibodies, indicating they were previously exposed, Takimoto said. While exposure carries with it the possibility of infection and illness, he said none had positive for the virus itself or had developed flu symptoms. About 5.7 million birds have been destroyed in Ibaraki following the H5N2 outbreak

So, H5N2 has a demonstrated ability to infect humans, although at present there is no indication of disease of any consequence.  But, as H5N1 has so often demonstrated, what was true yesterday may not be true tomorrow.

 

This is a snip from the USDA's site, the entire page on Avian Influenza can be found here.   While today's news deals with Low Pathogenic H5N2 and the USDA snip deals with the Highly Pathogenic variety it demonstrates that infection is not heard unheard of, and HP H5N2 is also no stranger to the US.

Historically, highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza have been detected in domestic poultry populations three times in the United States: in 1924, 1983 and 2004. There have been no occurrences of highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in the United States and no significant human illness resulted from any of these outbreaks.

• The 1924 H7 outbreak was contained and eradicated in East Coast live bird markets. 
• The 1983-84 H5N2 outbreak resulted in the destruction of approximately 17 million chickens, turkeys and guinea fowl in the northeastern U.S. to contain and eradicate the disease.
• In 2004, USDA confirmed an H5N2 outbreak in chickens in the southern United States. The disease was quickly eradicated thanks to close coordination and cooperation between USDA, state, local and industry leaders. Because of the quick response, which included quarantine and culling of birds, the disease was limited to one flock.

 

And finally, as if by the Grace of Providence, it was announced today that Bernard Matthews will not have to answer, in any legal sense, for the H5N1 episode in the UK of recent.

 

FURY AS BERNARD MATTHEWS IS 'CLEARED' OVER BIRD FLU

Monday April 2,2007

Geoff Marsh for express.co.uk

 

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BERNARD Matthews is to escape prosecution for the bird flu outbreak which hit Britain last month. 

Food Standards Agency investigators were examining possible failings at the site in Holton, Suffolk, but found “insufficient evidence” for legal action.

The FSA probe was focused on food waste storage at the Bernard Matthews plant.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs report published in February listed a catalogue of failings at the turkey plant.

Inspectors saw gulls feeding on meat scraps left in uncovered waste bins and polythene bags used for meat products left in open bins.

But the Food Standards Agency today said its probe had found “no evidence” that the firm breached animal by-product or food hygiene laws.

The watchdog said in a statement: “We have carefully scrutinised and considered the evidence in this case and concluded there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.

Continues at link...

I am compelled to point out that just because a law or regulation is not in place, on the books, to deal with the gross mismanagement on the part of Bernard Matthews doesn't mean that they did things the proper, safe, and responsible way.  Just in ways that are not currently actionable.  I certainly hope that the regulatory agencies, in all countries, are addressing the egregious errors made.   

It also points out that no matter how safe you think things are, or should be, it isn't always the case in fact.

 

SZ