Israel: H5N1 Outbreaks Continue In Poultry

 

 

 

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It has been two weeks since we first heard about Israel’s latest outbreak of H5N1 – the first since 2012 – among poultry farms in the northern part of the country.   Those outbreaks continue, with news today of another turkey farm affected, which will require the culling of an additional 37,000 birds.

 

Israeli Bird Flu Epidemic Continues

37,000 turkeys put down as two-week spread of lethal flu rages on; already over 157,000 birds put to death in attempt to halt spread.

By Ari Yashar

First Publish: 2/2/2015, 1:18 PM

Northern Israel has been struck by a bird flu (H5N1) epidemic in the last two weeks, and on Monday a turkey coop in Kfar Vitkin adjacent to Netanya on the northern coast was made the most recent victim.

In the Kfar Vitkin coop a full 37,000 turkeys will have to be put down and buried in deep trenches lined with plastic sheets according to protocols, so as to prevent the spread of the potentially lethal disease.

The latest outbreak comes as sites where the disease was found last week in the Sharon region (the northern coastal plain) completed undergoing treatment measures, with a total of 157,000 birds being put to death in coops in the north and Sharon to check the virus's advance.

(Continue . . .)

OIE Report: H5N1 In Israel

Credit OIE

 

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On Saturday, in Media Reporting Unspecified `Bird Flu’ Outbreak at Israeli Farm, we saw early reports of what appeared to be a return of HPAI H5N1 to Israel after an absence of several years.  Today the OIE has published a filing, indicating that preliminary testing found H5N1 at a turkey farm in northern Israel.

 

Epidemiology

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

• Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments

The epidemiological investigation is ongoing. The first time H5N1 occurred in Israel was in March 2006 revealing 9 outbreaks. Since then, all the outbreaks that occurred in commercial flocks were also in March (2011, 2012) except one outbreak that took place in January 2010, in the same region of the present outbreak (distance of 8 kilometers). The disease had been also diagnosed in a kindergarden’s minizoo at the end of December 2007, 3 kilometers from the present outbreak. This area has numerous water ponds with water birds wintering in them. The culling of all the flocks is ongoing. Backyard birds in the village will also be culled.

WHO: WPV1 (Polio) Risks In Israel Remain Moderate to High

  Credit @WHO Twitter Feed.

 

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Two and half months ago (see WHO: Poliovirus (WPV1) Detected By Environmental Sampling In Israel), the World Health Organization announced the detection of Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in 30 environmental (sewage) samples taken from ten locations in that country.

 

The testing of sewage for the poliovirus has increasingly become part of the surveillance effort since only 1 person in 100 who becomes infected actually develops the acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) we normally associate with the disease.

 

Anyone who is infected, however, sheds large quantities of the virus in their feces for weeks, making environmental sampling of sewage an efficient method of determining the presence of the virus in the community.

 

While no cases of paralytic polio have been identified in Israel, the presence of the virus indicates it is in the community, and the World Health Organization gauges the risks of international spread of polio from Israel as moderate to high.

 

With a major polio vaccination campaign currently underway,  the WHO’s GAR (Global Alert & Response) division issued the following update today.

 

Poliovirus detected from environmental samples in Israel - update

15 August 2013 - The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates the risk of further international spread of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) from Israel to remain moderate to high. This risk assessment reflects evidence of increasing geographic extent of circulation over a prolonged period of time.

 

WPV1 has been detected in 67 sewage samples from 24 sampling sites in Israel, collected from 3 February 2013 to 4 August 2013. Initially restricted to southern Israel, WPV1 has now also been detected in the central district as well. WPV1 has also been isolated in stool samples from 27 healthy children (all under the age of nine years), who had been fully immunized for their age as part of ongoing stool sample survey activities and from one adult . No case of paralytic polio has been reported. In addition to routine acute flaccid paralysis, public health authorities have expanded the surveillance to all age groups and have increased enterovirus surveillance and are screening aseptic meningitis cases for polio.

 

A supplementary immunization activity (SIA) with bivalent oral polio vaccine (OPV) started in parts of southern Israel during the week of 5 August 2013, and a nationwide campaign is planned for 18 August 2013 for children up to the age of nine years. The objective of these SIAs with OPV is to boost mucosal immunity levels in cohorts of children naïve to OPV to rapidly interrupt virus circulation.

 

It is important that all countries, in particular those with frequent travel and contacts with polio affected countries, strengthen surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), in order to rapidly detect any new poliovirus importations and facilitate a rapid response. Countries should also analyze routine immunization coverage data to identify any subnational gaps in population immunity to guide catch-up immunization activities and thereby minimize the consequences of any new virus introduction. Priority should be given to areas at high-risk of importations and where OPV3/DPT3 vaccine coverage is less than 80 percent.

 

WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travellers to and from poliovirus-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Three countries remain endemic for indigenous transmission of WPV: Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Additionally, in 2013, the Horn of Africa has been affected by an outbreak of WPV1.

WHO Update: Poliovirus (WPV1) detected by Environmental Sampling In Israel

@WHO  Twitter announcement 7/15/13

 

 

#7482

 

 

In a follow up to a report we saw six weeks ago (see WHO: Poliovirus (WPV1) Detected By Environmental Sampling In Israel), the World Health Organization has today announced the detection of Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in 30 environmental (sewage) samples taken from ten locations in that country.

 

The testing of sewage for the poliovirus has increasingly become part of the surveillance effort since only 1 person in 100 who becomes infected actually develops the acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) we normally associate with the disease.

 

Everyone who is infected, however, sheds large quantities of the virus in their feces for weeks, making environmental sampling of sewage an efficient method of determining the presence of the virus in the community.

 

While no individual cases of paralytic polio have been identified in Israel, the presence of the virus indicates it is in the community, and the World Health Organization gauges the risks of international spread of polio from Israel as moderate to high.

 

Here is the entire statement from the WHO’s GAR (Global Alert & Response) page:

 

Poliovirus detected from environmental samples in Israel - update

15 July 2013 - Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been isolated in 30 sewage samples from 10 sampling sites in Israel. The samples were collected from 3 February 2013 to 30 June 2013. Most positive WPV1 samples were detected from southern Israel. All viruses have been detected in sewage only; no cases of paralytic polio have been reported.

 

Detection of viruses across the country indicates increased geographic extent of circulation for a prolonged period of time. WHO assesses the risk of further international spread of WPV from Israel as moderate to high.

 

Health authorities in Israel are continuing to conduct a full epidemiological and public health investigation to actively search for potential cases of paralytic polio and any un-immunized persons. Routine immunization coverage is estimated at 94 percent or above over last eight years. The frequency of environmental surveillance sampling has been increased. Environmental surveillance is frequently used by countries around the world, including in Israel, to support the detection of diseases of public health importance. Similar activities are being implemented by health authorities in Gaza and West Bank and no WPV has been detected to date from these areas.

 

The Government of Israel is planning supplementary immunization activities (SIA) with oral polio vaccine (OPV). The objectives of the SIAs with OPV are to boost mucosal immunity levels to rapidly interrupt virus circulation. These SIAs follow efforts initiated beginning of June 2013 to catch-up with any un or under immunized children using inactivated polio vaccine (IPV).

 

It is important that all countries, in particular those with frequent travel and contacts with polio affected countries, strengthen surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), in order to rapidly detect any new poliovirus importations and facilitate a rapid response. Countries should also analyze routine immunization coverage data to identify any subnational gaps in population immunity to guide catch-up immunization activities and thereby minimize the consequences of any new virus introduction. Priority should be given to areas at high-risk of importations and where OPV3 or IPV3/DPT3 vaccine coverage is less than 80 percent.

 

WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travellers to and from polio affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Three countries remain endemic for indigenous transmission of WPV: Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Additionally, in 2013, the Horn of Africa is affected by an outbreak of WPV.

WHO: Poliovirus (WPV1) Detected By Environmental Sampling In Israel

 

Child receiving Polio Vaccine – CDC PHIL

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Although it may not be an enviable job, sampling of sewage for the poliovirus has increasingly become part of the surveillance effort since only 1 person in 100 who becomes infected actually develops the acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) we normally associate with the disease.

 

Everyone who is infected, however, sheds large quantities of the virus in their feces for weeks, making environmental sampling of sewage an efficient method of determining the presence of the virus in the community.

 

Last January, you may recall, we saw a report (see Polio Virus Detected By Environmental Surveillance In Egypt) where this type of surveillance had detected Wild Poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples taken in Cairo, Egypt, and they closely matched those found in Pakistan.

 

Last week YnetNews reported:

 

Health Ministry detects polio virus in Rahat sewage

Published: 
05.29.13, 00:22

The Ministry of Health identified the polio virus in the Bedouin city of Rahat's sewage system in a routine monitoring operation. As of now, there are no known cases of virus infections. The ministry released a statement saying it is preparing to assist the health institutions in Rahat to handle the event. (Dr. Itay Gal)

 

Today the World Health Organization released a Global Alert & Response update, and used their @WHO  social media account twitter to announce the findings.

 

 

Poliovirus detected from environmental samples in Israel

3 June 2013 - In Israel, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was isolated from sewage samples collected on 9 April 2013 in Rahat, southern Israel. The virus has been detected in sewage only; no case of paralytic polio has been reported. Genetic sequencing and epidemiological investigations are ongoing to determine its origin. Preliminary analyses indicate the strain is not related to the virus currently affecting the Horn of Africa. The virus isolate was detected through routine environmental surveillance in Israel that involves regular testing of sewage water. Israel has been free of indigenous WPV transmission since 1988. In the past, wild poliovirus has been detected in environmental samples collected in this region between 1991 and 2002 without occurrence of cases of paralytic polio in the area.

 

Following detection of the wild poliovirus, health authorities in Israel are conducting a full epidemiological and public health investigation, actively searching for potential cases of paralytic polio as well as for any un-immunized persons. Routine immunization levels are estimated at 94 percent. Outcomes of the investigation will determine the need for any additional catch-up immunization activities, as necessary. Similar activities are being implemented by health authorities in Gaza and the West Bank. Specimens collected through environmental surveillance since 2002 in both Gaza and the West Bank have consistently tested negative for the presence of WPV.

 

Given that there are high levels of population immunity levels in the area, and the investigations and response being implemented, the World Health Organization (WHO) assesses the risk of further international spread of this virus strain from Israel as low to moderate.

 

It is important that all countries, in particular those with frequent travel and contacts with polio affected countries, strengthen surveillance for cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), in order to rapidly detect any new poliovirus importations and facilitate a rapid response. Countries should also analyze routine immunization coverage data to identify any subnational gaps in population immunity to guide catch-up immunization activities and thereby minimize the consequences of any new virus introduction. Priority should be given to areas at high-risk of importations and where OPV3/DPT3 vaccine coverage is less than 80 percent.

 

WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travellers to and from polio affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Three countries remain endemic for indigenous transmission of WPV: Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Additionally, in 2013, the Horn of Africa is affected by an outbreak of WPV, with six cases confirmed in Kenya and Somalia.

 

OIE Report: H5N1 In Israeli Poultry

 

 

# 4296

 

 

Last night there were a pair of news briefs out of Israel regarding a `bird flu’ outbreak discovered in that country.  These early reports mostly sought to reassure and provided scant details.

 

Both come from Arutz Sheva, an Israeli news media. 

 

Bird Flu Discovered at Kibbutz

Reported: 22:45 PM - Jan/26/10

(IsraelNN.com)

An outbreak of bird flu was discovered Tuesday night at a henhouse in Kibbutz Ein Shemer. The disease was found in a henhouse containing about 43,000 hens. Agriculture Ministry workers began Tuesday night marking off the birds to be culled. All agricultural production in the area has been shut down until further notice.

 

This report was followed by a statement from the Health Ministry.

 

Health Ministry: No Danger to Humans from Bird Flu

Reported: 23:45 PM - Jan/26/10

(IsraelNN.com)

The Health Ministry said Tuesday that the strain of bird flu discovered earlier would not infect humans. The Ministry said that it had taken steps to protect workers dealing with culling the infected birds, and that in previous incidents of bird flu no humans had been affected.

 

This muddle of a second statement seeks to reassure that the virus detected posed no danger to humans, but stressed the protective measures workers were taking to prevent infection.   

 

Not necessarily a contradiction, of course.  Protective measures are taken even when dealing with a LPAI (Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza).

 

Today we learn from the required OIE filing that the virus is not some LPAI as the initial reports might suggest, but that it is HPAI (Highly Pathogenic) H5N1.

 

A hat tip to Ironorehopper who posted a summary of  this OIE Report on FluTrackers overnight. 

 

The link below is to the FT summation.

 

 

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Israel

Information received on 26/01/2010 from Dr Moshe Chaimovitz, Director , Veterinary Services and Animal Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developement, BEIT DAGAN, Israel

• Summary
  • Report type Immediate notification
  • Start date 24/01/2010
  • Date of first confirmation of the event 26/01/2010
  • Report date 26/01/2010
  • Date submitted to OIE 26/01/2010
  • Reason for notification Reoccurrence of a listed disease
  • Date of previous occurrence 04/01/2008
  • Manifestation of disease Clinical disease
  • Causal agent Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
  • Serotype H5N1
  • Nature of diagnosis Suspicion, Clinical, Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced), Necropsy
  • This event pertains to the whole country

• New outbreaks
  • Summary of outbreaks
    • Total outbreaks: 1
    • Location(s) - HAIFA (EN SHEMER, HADERA)
      • Total animals affected: Species - Susceptible - Cases - Deaths - Destroyed - Slaughtered
        • Birds - 43000 - 700 - 100 - 0 - 0

• Outbreak statistics
  • Species - Apparent morbidity rate - Apparent mortality rate - Apparent case fatality rate - Proportion susceptible animals lost*
    • Birds - 1.63% - 0.23% - 14.29% - 0.23%
    • * Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

• Epidemiology
  • Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection
    • Unknown or inconclusive

• Epidemiological comments
  • The epidemiological investigation is in process.

 

 

Israel saw their first outbreaks of H5N1 in 2006, with a return in 2008.  Their last OIE report was filed in August 2008.

 

The reassurance from the Health Ministry that `the strain of bird flu discovered earlier would not infect humans’, now rings hollow given the OIE report above.  

 

While the danger to humans may be low, it certainly isn’t zero.  Which makes this less than a sterling example of good risk communication.

 

The two big concerns right now, however, are whether this virus has spread to other farms, and exactly how did it happen to re-emerge in Israel after an absence of 17 months.

 

The question of why the virus continues to be reintroduced into an area months or even years after eradication is one that remains largely unanswered.

 

Migratory birds?  Illicit Poultry Trade?   An unknown host reservoir?  

 

It may well be that all three have been responsible at one time or another.  Or perhaps some other mechanism we are unaware of.

 

While in the global scheme of things this outbreak may prove to be more of a nuisance than a danger to Israel, it illustrates that the bird flu problem hasn’t gone away.  

 

Even in countries where the virus isn’t considered endemic.