#12,967
Last Friday, in Netherlands Rijksoverheid: H5 Outbreak (Likely HPAI) In Biddinghuizen, we learned of a (now confirmed) HPAI outbreak in poultry in the Netherlands, affecting roughly 16,000 ducks.
The following day, from a report issued by the Wageningen Bioveterinary Research Institute, we learned that the virus was remarkably similar to a reassorted H5N6 virus which recently showed up in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.Today, in an updated announcement on the Wageningen Bioveterinary Research Institute website, we learn that wild birds found dead along the shores of Lake Veluwe - several miles from the original poultry outbreak in Biddinghuizen - have now tested positive for this newly arrived reassorted H5N6 virus.
Bird flu in Biddinghuizen
published 14 december 2017
In Biddinghuizen (municipality Dronten, Flevoland) on December 8, 2017 at a company with duck meat bird flu detected by Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR). The virus is characterized as highly pathogenic H5N6. This company also ran last year as one of the first infected. In poultry farms within an area of three kilometers of the infected farm WBVR found no new infections, became known on 11 December.
To prevent further spread of the virus, the infected farm has been cleared by the Dutch Food Safety Authority (NVWA). Involved a total of approximately 16,000 meat ducks. In the area of one kilometer around the holding in Biddinghuizen are no other companies that need to be preventively cleared.
Highly pathogenic H5N6 virus
A first genetic analysis shows that the virus is not related to the zoonotic H5N6 strain circulating in Asia, where people can get sick.
- The H5 is akin to the Influenza A virus subtype H5N8 highly pathogenic virus that is found in the Netherlands in 2016.
- The N6 is related to low pathogenic viruses previously found in wild birds in Europe.
The H5N6 virus has been created by the exchange of genetic material, or reassortment. WBVR doing further research to gain further insight into the origin and genetic composition of this virus.
Wild birds with avian flu in Veluwe
On December 11, Wageningen Research Bioveterinary various wild birds (locations Hulshorst and Elburg) tested positive for bird flu. On December 13 it became clear that it also comes to H5N6 avian influenza.
No new infections in BiddinghuizenIn the area of three kilometers around the infected holding are four other companies. The latter poultry sampled and analyzed by WBVR on bird flu. On 11 December it was announced that no new infections have been detected in these companies.
(Continue . . . )
