Saturday, October 29, 2016

India: Report of the Monitoring Committee on Avian Influenza













#11,857


This morning we have a report from yesterday's meeting of India's  Monitoring Committee on Avian Influenza, with additional details on the testing results for the H5N8 virus - particularly from the National Zoological Park in New Delhi. 
According to recent press reports, India's testing laboratories are backlogged with with thousands of samples yet to process, prompting yesterday's media report Bird flu: Centre asks NIHSAD to expedite testing of samples.

But in today's report we get a smattering of test results, including positive tests on several species and for pond water and mud around Pelican Pond, a popular stopover for migratory birds located within the National Zoological Park. 

First the report, then I'll return with a bit more.

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Environment and Forests
28-October-2016 20:38 IST
Report of the Monitoring Committee on Avian Influenza

The Monitoring Committee constituted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for overseeing the outbreak of avian influenza reviewed the control and containment of the avian influenza situation today.

Mortality Status within 24 hours:

NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, NEW DELHI -  Nil

DEER PARK, HAUZ KHAS, NEW DELHI          - Nil

GWALIOR ZOO                                              -  Nil



Action taken:

The control and containment measures of avian influenza in the affected zoos are being continued, which include:

1.      Surveillance continues and the zoo is being screened regularly for any dead bird.

2.      Bio-security measures being strictly enforced.

3.      Zoo remained closed for the safety of visitors and control of the disease.

4.      A medical doctor visited and examined exposed employees of the zoo and medication was provided.

5.      Report from ICAR National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases indicating updated interim results of samples sent on 22.10.2016 from National Zoological Park is enclosed. The results are as under:
6.      Review meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Animal Husbandry Commissioner on 27.10.2016 wherein the report was discussed.

7.      It was decided to put on hold the culling operations for the time being in the infected zone.

8.      Anti-viral solution is being sprayed on the affected mud near Pelican Island to prevent further infection.

9.      The water from Pelican Pond has also been tested positive for H5N8. The issue was discussed in the meeting and it was decided that treatment of water body by chemical such as bleaching powder, or lime, will not be feasible as it will adversely affect the aquatic life of the water body.
***

HK

The lack of reported bird deaths in the past 24 hours at the three zoos listed is a good sign, but the detection of the virus in the zoo's environment suggests that additional birds could still be infected.

Avian influenza is gastrointestinal infection in birds, and they shed the virus through their feces - which can easily contaminate fresh water sources.
Previous tests conducted on other HPAI and LPAI avian viruses (including H5N1) have shown prolonged persistence in the environment (see H5N1: Hiding In Plain Sight and EID Journal: Persistence Of H5N1 In Soil), remaining viable for days or even weeks depending upon conditions. 

Another finding of note is the positive test result on a Crow.

While waterfowl (ducks & geese) and gallinaceous birds (turkeys, grouse, chickens & quail) are most often associated with carriage of HPAI H5 viruses, terrestrial birds such as crows, starlings, pigeons, and sparrows are also known to carry, and shed, theses  viruses as well (see 2007’s EID Journal  Role of Terrestrial Wild Birds in Ecology of Influenza A Virus (H5N1). 

As far back as 2008, we saw reports out of India of crows dying from the H5N1 virus. In 2012, and again in 2014 India saw numerous wild bird die offs that were blamed on the avian flu virus (see Media Report: H5N1 Killing Crows In Jharkhand).

Although the incidence of terrestrial bird carriage of HPAI viruses is poorly understood and its significance remains hotly debated, recent studies and surveillance suggests their role may be greater than previously believed.

With the emergence of new avian flu viruses around the globe nearly every year, the research into their interactions with thousands of non-aquatic bird species has only just begun.

Although there are media reports of other Indian States awaiting test results, as of this writing no new outbreaks have been confirmed.