Canada: OIE & CFID Statement On H5N1 Outbreak In A Nova Scotia Turkey Farm

 

Credit OIE-WAHIS 

#16,550 

It was almost inevitable - that with multiple detections of HPAI H5N1 in wild birds in Canada, and along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States - that this highly pathogenic avian virus would eventually make it into a commercial poultry operation. 

First the statement from Canada's CFID, followed by excerpts from the OIE report.

Notice to Industry: Detection of high pathogenic influenza (H5N1) in a commercial flock in Canada

February 4, 2022

On February 3, 2022, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) confirmed the presence of high pathogenic avian influenza (AI), subtype H5N1, at a commercial flock in western Nova Scotia.

Canada has reported this finding to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in accordance with international reporting obligations.

The CFIA has placed the farm premises under quarantine and established movement control measures and enhanced biosecurity for farms within the area to limit any potential spread of the disease on the premises or elsewhere in the province.

In light of this situation, Canadian poultry owners are being reminded to take an active role in protecting their flocks by employing strict biosecurity measures on their property and immediately reporting any signs of illness to their veterinarian.

For more information on measures poultry farms can take to protect their flocks from avian influenza, please visit the Avian influenza page on the CFIA website.

According to the OIE, nearly 12,000 turkeys are affected.  From the OIE-WAHIS website:

Immediate notification

04/02/2022

The event is ongoing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.

Sender Country/territory        Report ID

Delegate of Canada Canada   IN_153830

Report reference             Event status     Self-declaration

CAN-2022-HPAIP-001  On-going          No

Disease - High pathogenicity avian Started on - 30/01/2022

General information

Country or zone - Zone

influenza viruses (poultry) (Inf. with)

Animal type - Terrestrial Genotype/serotype/subtype - H5N1 Confirmed on - 03/02/2022

Causal agent - Highly pathogenic avian Disease category - OIE-listed Reported on - 04/02/2022

influenza virus

Last occurrence - 29/07/2015

Reason - Recurrence of an eradicated disease

Epidemiology

Source of the event or origin of the infection

- Contact with wild species

- Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments

On January 30th, 2022, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was notified of high mortality in a commercial turkey farm in Western Nova Scotia. The CFIA National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease has confirmed that the virus was H5N1, similar to the viruses reported in non-poultry and wild birds recently in the provinces of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.

The virus has HA cleavage site motif “PLREKRRK/GLF” consistent with highly pathogenic avian influenza strains of H5 subtype.The HA gene segment is A/goose/Guangdong/1996 (Gs/GD) lineage belonging to 2.3.4.4B clade. Phylogenic analysis indicates this virus corresponds to the Eurasian lineage circulating in 2021 in Europe.

The CFIA has immediately quarantined the infected farm and is implementing strict movement controls and a stamping out policy. A protection zone (3km) and a surveillance zone (10 km) are being put in place around the infected premises. Wildlife surveillance as well as the Canadian Avian Influenza Surveillance System (CanNAISS) activities for poultry are ongoing in Canada.

          (Continue . . . )

The last time HPAI H5 threatened North America (2015), it affected 15 states and several provinces in Canada, and resulted in the loss of over 50 million commercially raised birds (see map below). 

2015 Avian Flu Epizootic

In that epizootic, HPAI H5N8 crossed the Bering Straits, from Asia into Alaska, and then spread south and east over a period of 6 months, infecting hundred of farms along the way.   

This time, it appears that the virus has made its way from Europe, via a North Atlantic Flyway, and is now moving south along the Eastern Seaboard (see PLoS One: North Atlantic Flyways Provide Opportunities For Spread Of Avian Influenza Viruses).

While HPAI H5 disappeared completely from North American wild birds following the 2015 epizootic (see PNAS: The Enigma Of Disappearing HPAI H5 In North American Migratory Waterfowl), since then the virus has become better adapted to migratory birds, and that could change the frequency of outbreaks in the future. 

In any event, at least until the spring migration ends - probably in late May - the risk for seeing additional outbreaks in poultry farms in North America remains a serious concern.