# 2363
On Saturday we received word of an outbreak of suspected bird flu at a duck farm in South Korea. The type of bird flu had not been determined at the time of the initial report, but now has been reported to the OIE as being low pathogenic H5N2.
A Hat tip to Dutchy on Flutrackers for posting this report.
The following information was received on 06/10/2008 from Dr Chang-Seob Kim, CVO & Director , Animal Health Team, Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry (MIFAFF), Gwacheon-city, Korea (Rep. of)
The OIE filing included the following epidemiological information:
As part of the on-going control measures for avian influenza in the Republic of Korea, surveillance has been conducted since September in all parent stock duck farms.
On 3 October, faecal samples from a parent stock duck farm proved positive to avian influenza antigen. But antibody test results of samples from blood and eggs were negative. The virus was identified as low pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N2 by haemagglutination test (HA), neuraminidase gene typing and gene sequencing of cleavage site of the HA gene on 4 October 2008.
As a preventive measure, ducks in the farm were stamped out and the farm was disinfected.
Low path H5N2 isn't viewed to be as serious as the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. It is, however, a reportable disease and can mutate into a highly pathogenic form.
Over the years there have been several H5N2 outbreaks in the United States, and around the world, that resulted in large economic losses to poultry raisers.
The danger to humans from this virus, for now at least, is considered minimal.
While no active human infection with the H5N2 virus has ever been documented, in 2006 77 poultry workers in Japan tested positive for antibodies to the virus.
None, reportedly, were aware of any clinical symptoms.
