# 2524
Norwegian authorities are now stating that the poultry flock in Trøgstad are all negative for low pathogenic avian influenza.
On Friday, as you may remember, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority announced that birds from a hobby farm in Østfold tested positive for antibodies to the H7 virus during routine surveillance.
While seemingly contradictory, you can have antibodies to a virus while being free of infection. The presence of antibodies indicates previous exposure to a virus.
Antibodies form days or often weeks after exposure to a virus.
Birds can, and often do, recover from low pathogenic viruses. They carry the antibodies, however, for life.
While we are hampered a bit by the vagaries of machine translations, pending an English language report I'm guessing today's statement indicates that they detected no active H5 or H7 infections in the flock.
Monitoring will continue, and some restrictions remain in place in the area.
This statement, and translation, courtesy of Dutchy on Flutrackers.
UPDATE: Dutchy was kind enough to contact me and suggests that this press release is about test results on the farms surrounding the site of the original H7 discovery.
After re-reading it, I tend to concur.
Thanks, Dutchy!
Press release Norwegian Food Safety Authority
No positive tests for the Avian influenza
Published: 08.12.2008 Last update: 08.12.2008
Samples have been taken in Poultry flocks in the risk zone in Trøgstad are all negative for lowpathogen Avian influenza type H5 and H7.
In two tests are made of different influensavirus. These samples studied further.
Restrictions on the original, infected and crew at risk will be retained for 42 days. This is to ensure that infection does not spread in the zone. Handling of such outbreaks is subject to international obligations and EEA regulations.
Restrictions means that the slaughter of Poultry and sales of eggs from these herds will be governed by specific conditions. These restrictions put in place to prevent smittespredning to other Fjørfehold. Meat and eggs from these herds are not dangerous to eat.
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority responded with restrictions and since the killing of the crew and disinfection of the environment Friday when it was noted lavpatogen Avian influenza type H7 in a hobby flock in Trøgstad.
Poultry flocks for about a kilometers radius was also ordered restrictions, and attempts were taken out on Friday. There are three commercial producers and some hobby herds in this risk.
- Inner Østfold is a district with many commercial Poultry producers, and it will be very serious if any of them had received the Avian influenza infection in their facilities, "said distriktssjef Kirsti Ullsfoss by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority distriktskontor for Inner Østfold and Follo.
She stressed that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority also in the future will continue to remove the monitoring samples, and following them up routine with the necessary means. - It is an important part of our preparedness to prevent the spread of animal diseases, among other things, "she said.
