Portugal – Avian Influenza (MAFRA) H5 RFI
31 Dec 2007
Unionradio.com [in Spanish, trans. Mod.TY, edited]
The culling of more than 16 000 chickens on a farm belonging to the Mafra town council, 40 km [24.8 miles] from Lisbon, began today [31 Dec 2007] after detection of the H5 strain of avian influenza, according to information released by the office of the Portuguese Veterinary Director General (DGV). The [official] note signaled that the farm is located within the security perimeter established by the DGV after another [avian influenza virus] strain of H5 -- not the virulent [H5] N1 strain -- was detected this past 21 Dec [2007] in a farm raising partridges. The Portuguese authorities announced that they have established a new security perimeter one km around the new outbreak, among other sanitary measures.
Other sources
7 Jan 2007 - OIE, WAHID (World Animal Health Information Database), weekly disease information 2008; 21(2)

Germany - HPAIV (highly pathogenic avian influenza virus) H5N1-infection in a backyard flock in North-Eastern)
17 Dec 2007
From: Thomas Mettenleiter thomas.mettenleiter@fli.bund.de
A new case of HPAIV H5N1 infection in poultry was confirmed on 14 Dec 2007 in the Federal State of Brandenburg in North-Eastern Germany. In a backyard flock of 11 layer chickens, 5 animals suddenly died. Samples of 2 of the dead chickens were investigated at the regional laboratory in Frankfurt-Oder showing highly positive results for H5 and N1 in real-time RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) analyses.
The samples were immediately transferred to the OIE (World Organization for Animal Health) and National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza at the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut. Real-time RT-PCR specific for Qinghai-like strains of HPAIV (Hoffmann et al., 2007) confirmed the presence of HPAIV H5N1 in these samples. Preliminary results of the sequencing analysis of the HA-gene showed a close relationship to HPAIV H5N1 isolates detected earlier in 2007 in Germany (HPAIV H5N1 subclade 2.2.3; Starick et al., 2007). Further molecular analyses are ongoing.
Related stories
18 Dec 2007 - Germany - Highly pathogenic avian influenza
OIE WAHID (World Animal Health Information Database) Disease Information 2007; 20(51) [edited]
Start date: 14 Dec 2007
Date of confirmation of event: 15 Dec 2007
Reason for notification: Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: 10 Sept 2007
Manifestation of disease: Clinical disease
Causal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype: H5N1
Outbreak: 1 (AI in poultry II) Altglobsow 12065A070007,
Grosswoltersdorf, Oberhavel, BRANDENBURG
Date of start of outbreak: 14 Dec 2007
Outbreak status: Continuing (or date resolved not submitted)
Epidemiological unit: Farm
Species Birds
Susceptible: 11
Cases: 10
Deaths: 10
Destroyed: 1
Slaughtered: 0
Affected population: backyard flock with laying hens for own consumption with no trading activity.
20 Dec 2007 - Germany – Avian Influenza
DPA via Earthtimes [edited]
A fresh bird flu outbreak has been discovered in Germany, with a state laboratory confirming the presence of the H5N1 virus, an official veterinarian said on Thursday [20 Dec 2007]. The infected bird was in a private hen run at Bensdorf, a village 85 km west of Berlin, said state of Brandenburg vet Hans-Georg Hurttig. All 30 fowl were immediately killed and removed. He said scientists believed it was a spot outbreak only. The case would only be declared official when a federal laboratory confirmed it. A Brandenburg spokesman said it was still officially considered a "suspected case". A week ago, the avian influenza virus was discovered at Altglobsow, 75 km north of Berlin, in a hen run with 11 birds.
25 Dec 2007 - Germany (Brandenburg)- Avian Influenza in small holding
DPA via Earthtimes.org [edited]
The 3rd case of the deadly bird flu virus in 10 days has been discovered on a small poultry farm in the German state of Brandenburg, resulting in the culling of 46 chickens, officials said Tuesday [25 Dec 2007]. The H5N1 virus was detected among 15 chickens on a property in the state, which surrounds the German capital Berlin. The property's owner, who had contacted officials on Monday [24 Dec 2007], was also looking after a neighbouring property with 31 chickens over the Christmas period. As a precaution, the chickens on both properties were destroyed. The 3-km area has been shut off around the properties, which is dominated by small private holdings. Poultry in the surrounding area are now being held in closed pens with owners having been told to immediately report any signs of illness among their birds to local veterinary authorities.

Russia - Bird flu virus found among birds that died in Rostov region (Krasnodar)
12 Dec 2007
Interfax.com [edited]
A comprehensive analysis of the pathological material of poultry that died at the Gulyay-Borisovskaya battery farm in the Zernograd district, Rostov region, has detected bird flu virus H5N1, Krasnodar Territory Chief Veterinary Vladimir Shevkoplyas said. "The All Russian Animal Health Protection Institute conducted this analysis detecting bird flu virus H5N1. We sympathize with our colleagues in the Rostov region, we ourselves have lived under tense conditions since 2006, when the 1st serous outbreak of the virus happened at Tbilisskaya battery farm," Shevkoplyas said at a territorial commission on prevention of bird flu and hog cholera.
Deputy Krasnodar Territory Governor Nikolai Dyachenko demanded that every necessarymeasure be taken to secure the Krylovsky district, Krasnodar Territory which borders the Zernograd district, Rostov region, as well as neighboring Kushchevsky, Novopokrovsky and Beloglinsky districts. According to earlier reports, 450 000 hens are slated to be destroyed in the Zernograd district, Rostov region because of the die-off of birds that began last week. Expertise revealed A type flu among the dead poultry.
Related stories
20 Dec 2007 - Russia – Avian Influenza
Itar-Tass [edited]
The regional emergencies department [Rostov region] said on Thursday [20 Dec 2007] that, according to laboratory tests, several dozen birds died from the virus in a private backyard in the village of Shosseiny, Zernograd district. All birds in the backyard were culled. Quarantine checkpoints were created in the village. The bird flu virus was registered in 2 villages of the Rostov region. Around 500,000 birds were culled at a poultry farm of the village of Gulyai Borisova. The quarantine was imposed in Sladkaya Balka also. Experts say the source of the virus is migrating birds.
25 Dec 2007 - Russia – Avian Influenza (Krasnodar), small holding
RIA Novosti [edited]
A 5th case of bird flu has been confirmed at a farm in the Rostov Region, south Russia, close to the site of previous outbreaks, the regional emergencies ministry said. "The outbreak at 2 smallholdings was registered on Saturday [22 Dec 2007]; samples were taken and sent for analysis; they came back positive for bird flu," the ministry said. All 79 birds on the smallholding have been culled. A quarantine zone has been introduced in the Tselinsky district near the site of the 1st case of the deadly virus.

Poland – Avian Influenza in turkeys - 1st case
1 Dec 2007
Reuters alertnet [edited]
Two poultry farms northwest of Warsaw were cordoned off after the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu was found in turkeys, Polish officials said on Saturday [1 Dec 2007]. Earlier reports had said 3 farms were affected, but the governor of Mazowsze province, where the outbreak occurred, later revised the count. There are plans to cull 4000 birds at farms around the village of Brudzen near the city of Plock, Poland's chief veterinary officer Ewa Lech said on television. Bird flu was discovered in wild swans near the north Poland city of Torun in early 2006.
Related sources:
2 Dec 2007 - Polskieradio
3 Dec 2007 - Poland - Avian Influenza-
OIE WAHID Animal Disease Interface, OIE [edited]
Summary
Start date: 30 Nov 2007
Reason for notification: Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence 7 May 2006
Manifestation of disease: Clinical disease
Causal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype: H5N1
Nature of diagnosis: Laboratory (advanced)
Report pertains to: Entire country
New outbreaks
Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 2
Outbreak Location: MAZOWIECKIE (Mysliborzyce, Plock; Uniejow, Plock)
Total animals affected
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Destroyed / Slaughtered
Birds / 4605 / 4245 / 360 / 4245 / 0
Description of Affected Population; 12-week-old turkeys
Epidemiology;
Source of infection
-Unknown or inconclusive
-Contact with wild Species
Epidemiological comments: Following the suspicion of highly pathogenic avian influenza, samples were taken from 10 turkeys (5 samples per flock).
Control measures
Measures already applied:
-Stamping out
-Movement control inside the country
-Zoning
-Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
-Vaccination prohibited
-No treatment of affected animals
Birds virus isolation: Pending

Romania - Highly pathogenic Avian Influenza
28 Nov 2007
WAHID Interface, OIE [edited]
Start date: 27 Nov 2007
Date of confirmation of event: 28 Nov 2007
Reason for notification: Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence: July 2006
Manifestation of disease: Clinical disease
Causal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype: H5N1
Nature of diagnosis: Laboratory (advanced)
Summary of outbreaks
Total outbreaks: 1
Outbreak Location: TULCEA (Murighiol) [A map is included at the above URL].
Total animals affected
Species: Birds
Susceptible: 80
Cases: 31
Deaths: 31
Destroyed: 49
Slaughtered: 0
Removed from the susceptible population either through death, destruction or slaughter
Description of Affected Population: backyard poultry
Epidemiology
Source of infection: Unknown or inconclusive
Control measures
Measures already applied
-Stamping out
-Quarantine
-Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s)
-Vaccination permitted
-No treatment of affected animals
Related source: 28 Nov 2007 Reuters AlertNet

United Kingdom – Avian Influenza
12 Nov 2007
BBC News [edited]
About 5000 birds are being slaughtered after avian flu was confirmed in turkeys on a Suffolk farm, government officials have announced. The H5 strain was found in turkeys at Redgrave Park Farm near Diss. All birds on the farm, which include ducks and geese, are to be slaughtered. A 3-km protection zone and a 10-km surveillance zone have been set up. Police officers have been seen at the entrance to the farm, and vehicles are being sprayed with a jet hose. A statement issued by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs said that preliminary tests showed the turkeys had the H5 strain of bird flu. It is not yet known whether it is a highly pathogenic form of the disease. All birds are being slaughtered at the premises, and Defra said it was consulting on what further measures may be needed. Inside the zones, bird movements will be restricted, and all birds must be housed or isolated from contact with wild birds.
Related sources :
12 Nov 2007 - DEFRA News Release Ref: 415/07
13 Nov 2007 - BBC News;
13 Nov 2007 - DEFRA news release, ref 418/07;
13 Nov 2007 - New Scientist;
14 Nov 2007 - OIE, WAHID (World Animal Health Information Database), weekly disease information 2007; 20(46)
14 Nov 2007 - United Kingdom – Avian Influenza
Farmers Guardian
All poultry on 4 further premises are to be culled as "dangerous contacts," due to possible links with the Suffolk farm where the H5N1 strain of avian flu has been found in turkeys. The infected premise, Redgrave Park Farm near Diss, is part of a network of farms under the same ownership. The concern is that workers may have moved between the farms after the infection occurred but before it was discovered, potentially spreading the virus. Disease has not been confirmed on any of the 4 premises, which all lie within the existing Restricted Zone, but Defra said the poultry were being culled as a precautionary measure. It said the action was in line with its contingency plans and took into account "the level of assessed risk at this early stage in the outbreak." A full epidemiological investigation into the source of the outbreak is underway.
19 Nov 2007 - United Kingdom – Avian Influenza- New cases
BBC News [edited]
A 2nd case of the virulent H5N1 strain of bird flu has been confirmed at a farm by farming ministry Defra. The virus was 1st discovered on 11 Nov 2007 at Redgrave Park Farm near Diss on the Norfolk-Suffolk border. Defra said the disease had now been confirmed at the nearby Hill Meadow Farm, Knettishall. The new infected premises are operated by the same company as the site of the 1st outbreak, and all 9000 turkeys had already been culled. Hill Meadow Farm [is situated] outside a 3 km (2 mi) protection zone, which had originally been set up around Redgrave Park Farm, but inside a wider restricted area covering Suffolk and parts of Norfolk. A new 3 km (2 mi) protection zone around the fresh case has been established, and a wider surveillance zone covering both sites has also been imposed. In total, more than 28,000 birds were slaughtered following the suspected outbreak of H5N1, a variant of the disease capable of being transmitted to humans.
19 Nov 2007 - The Guardian
21 Nov 2007 - United Kingdom - Massive bird flu cull launched
BBC News [edited]
A further 68 000 birds are being slaughtered on a 6th poultry farm in Suffolk in a bid to control the outbreak of bird flu in the region. DEFRA officials say the latest cull -- more than double the other 5 combined -- is precautionary and falls within the existing surveillance zone. The move comes amid fears that workers at the farm have travelled to other farms that are deemed a flu risk. More than 28,600 turkeys, ducks and geese have already been slaughtered. The 6th cull will include 56, 000 ducks, 9000 turkeys and 3000 geese. Bird flu has been confirmed at both the original site of the outbreak and one other nearby site owned by the same company. The latest premises to be added to the cull list supplied poultry to the farm at the centre of the outbreak, but this latest move is more linked to employee movement, the spokeswoman said. Knettishall on the Norfolk/Suffolk border had been infected with H5N1, a strain of the virus at the centre of fears that it may mutate and cause an epidemic among humans. Another of the farms, Grove Farm, Botesdale, Suffolk was upgraded to a slaughter site on suspicion of having the disease last week, after dozens of birds were found dead by officials. But initial tests on 5500 turkeys slaughtered found the premises were free of disease.
26 Nov 2007 - Defra, Preliminary Epidemiology Report: Avian Influenza - Outbreak In Suffolk, November 2007 As At 26 Nov 2007

Russia – Avian Influenza - domestic fowl
26 Sept 2007
RIA Novosti [edited]
About 250,000 birds are to be culled at a poultry farm in south Russia's Krasnodar Territory following an outbreak of bird flu earlier this month [September 2007], Russia's agriculture watchdog said Wednesday [26 Sept 2007]. A total of 170,600 birds have been slaughtered at the Lebyazh Chepiginskoye farm and the remaining 77 500 are due to be culled in the near future, the head of the animal health department at Russia's agriculture watchdog said. On 5 Sept 2007, about 22,000 birds were culled at the farm after a regional laboratory identified the lethal H5N1 virus in dead birds at the farm. Krasnodar Territory is on the route taken by migrating birds in winter and is subject to a higher risk of bird flu as a result, although, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), most of the spread is through poultry and the poultry trade.
Italy – Recent reports regarding multi-focal cases of low pathogenic avian influenza A/H5N2 and A/H7N3
18 Sept 2007
They have appeared during the last few weeks in several northern provinces of Italy.
Animals affected were mainly birds in farms (turkeys, broilers, ducks, geese) as well as free-range poultry in vocational farms.

Portugal - The H5N2 virus was discovered in 2 farms that rear ducks in Vila Nova da Barquinha and in Tomar.
16 Sept 2007
The Ministry of Agriculture assures that all the infected birds have been killed. The farms are free range, though, which makes it impossible to know how many animals may have been in contact with the disease. The H5N2 strain is considered to have a low pathogenicity, making it less dangerous. Nevertheless the authorities have placed both farms under the surveillance of the Bird Flu Vigilance Plan.

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