Bulgaria, Italy, Ukraine report first avian flu virus detection

Over the past week, the first outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) of the winter season have been confirmed in poultry in Bulgaria and Ukraine, while a mild form of the disease has been detected in Italy.

(New Design Illustrations | Bigstock)
(New Design Illustrations | Bigstock)

One week ago, the Bulgarian animal health agency recorded the first outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry of this winter. Linked to the H5N8 virus variant, this involved a flock of 99,500 poultry at Slavyanovo in the northern province of Pleven.

According to the latest official report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), three nearby poultry flocks have also tested positive for an H5 HPAI virus. As a result of surveillance, Pekin ducks at two farms were found to be infected. The fourth flock to be affected since the start of this month comprised more than 55,000 broiler breeders. Around 200 of the birds died at the farm in the same area.

Bulgaria’s food safety authority reports that the two duck farms were separate premises under the same ownership.

For the first time since June of 2016, a low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus of the H7N7 family has been detected in Italy.

According to the official report to the OIE from the health ministry, this variant was detected in a sample of goose droppings at a farm in Ravenna province in Emilia-Romagna.

Total number of poultry at the premises was around 2,500, according to the Italian health authority and research organization for animal health and food safety, IZSVe. All the birds there — of mixed species — have been culled.

Last month, captive birds in the same province tested positive for the H5N8 HPAI virus.

That virus variant has been found for the first time in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.

In the official report to the OIE, the animal health ministry registered an outbreak on a goose farm. Around 350 of the 1,154 birds died at the start of this month. Source of the infection is unknown. There are reported to be no other poultry within 10 kilometers of the affected premises, which is in the southeast of the country.

France registers 460 HPAI outbreaks

Over the past week, total outbreaks of HPAI among French poultry has risen by 13 to a total of 460, according to the agriculture ministry. All the latest outbreaks were in the southwest of the country, which has been the nation’s “disease hot-spot” since last December.

Landes continues to be the department with the most confirmed outbreaks (339). However, the highest weekly increase (9) occurred for Pyrenees-Atlantiques, where the total is now 54.

This week, the ministry has registered with the OIE a further 20 HPAI outbreaks linked to the H5N8 virus variant. Directly impacted were almost 101,000 birds in Landes, Pyrenees-Atlantiques, and Gers, which are all in the southwest of France.

The affected premises include eight with ducks for foie gras production, as well as one of ducklings, and two more with mixed waterfowl. The virus was also detected in one flock each of broilers, laying hens, broiler breeders, guinea fowl, and a backyard, as well as three flock with ducks and broilers.

Based on OIE reports, these latest outbreaks bring the French total to 442, directly impacting more than 2.187 million poultry.

More outbreaks in Germany, Sweden and U.K.

Over the past week, Germany’s agriculture ministry has confirmed a further three HPAI outbreaks in poultry. These involved 77,500 birds.

In the first week of this month, presence of the H5N8 virus variant was confirmed in a second flock of fattening turkeys in Passow (Uckermark district of Brandenburg). In Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, the same virus family was detected at one farm with fattening turkeys, and another with broiler breeders.

For the month of January, no HPAI outbreaks were recorded in England. However, in the past week, the agriculture department for the United Kingdom (U.K.), Defra reported new cases at a farm Redcar in North Yorkshire.

Affecting a small commercial laying flock, this is brings England’s total HPAI outbreaks linked to the H5N8 subtype so far this winter to 13. In addition, the H5N1 HPAI virus was detected at a single farm in mid-December.

Sweden’s board of agriculture has confirmed to the OIE over the past week that the H5N5 HPAI virus has been detected in a second layer flock in the district of Monsteras. Located in the southern county of Kalmar, this was a second farm under the same ownership. As a result of this development, all poultry within the newly extended protection zone will be culled.

Further cases in poultry in central Europe

Two more outbreaks of HPAI linked to the H5N8 virus are included in the latest report to the OIE from the Czech Veterinary Administration. These follow the country’s first outbreak — in a backyard flock —in the third week of January.

Latest to be affected are also small flocks in two different regions — Central Bohemia and Pardubice — totaling 114 poultry.

Over the past week, Hungary’s agriculture ministry has reported to the OIE a further three outbreaks linked to the same virus family.

Ranging in size from around 26,000 to 45,000 birds, all were in commercial laying flocks in Bacs-Kiskun. This southern county’s only previous outbreak of the winter was in also in a large egg flock.

According to official reports to the OIE, there have been no new outbreaks linked to the same virus family in Hungary’s northern county of Komarom-Esztergom.

In Poland, three new HPAI outbreaks have been confirmed in poultry, according to the chief veterinary office. They bring the country’s total so far this year to 19.

Including among the latest outbreaks is the first in the southeastern province of Holy Cross (Swietokrzyskie), where the virus was detected in a backyard flock. Also testing positive for the virus in recent days were flocks of around 13,700 fattening turkeys in Warmia-Masuria, and 7,500 mature laying hens in Greater Poland (Wielkopolskie).

2021: HPAI detected in poultry in 15 European countries

So far this year, a total of 384 outbreaks in poultry have been registered with the Animal Disease Notification System of the European Commission (to February 2).

Of this total, 328 outbreaks have been confirmed in France, 25 in Germany, and 13 in Poland.

As well as the developments reported above, one outbreak has occurred in each of the following states: Belgium, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, and Slovakia.

Seventeen European states have detected HPAI viruses in wild birds so far this year — a total of 132 outbreaks. With 71 cases, Germany has recorded the most cases, followed by Denmark with 17.

In 2021, HPAI virus has been found in wild birds but not in poultry in four European countries — Finland, Irish Republic, Norway and Spain.

New virus variant detected in wild birds in Switzerland

For the first time, authorities in Switzerland report the detection of the H5N4 HPAI virus variant.

According to the official report to the OIE, the Swiss animal health agency records that this virus was found in a sick gull. The location — in the canton of Schaffhausen — is in the north of the country. It is near to Lake Constance (Bodensee), where German authorities recently detected the same variant in wild birds.

Over the past week, Germany has registered with the OIE that 26 shore birds found dead in December in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein tested positive for the H5N3 virus subtype.

Five European countries have confirmed to the OIE new cases of the H5N8 HPAI virus in wild birds. Infections were reported in a range of wild species in the Czech Republic (South Bohemia), Finland (Etelä-Suomi), France (Ardennes), Germany (Berlin, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, and Schleswig-Holstein), and Spain (Castile and León).

At a club near the capital city Copenhagen, HPAI virus has been detected in several captive birds, reports the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration. All these birds, together with some chickens at the same location, have been culled.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.

Page 1 of 171
Next Page