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Pandemic News for Senior Citizens
Bird Flu Found in Michigan Swans Not the H5N1 Strain
- Just H5 and N1
No threat to human health says Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
  August
14, 2006 – Two Michigan swans were found to have an H5 and an N1 but
they don't fit together to make H5N1. These avian influenza subtypes
have been found in two wild mute swans but the U.S. Department of
Agriculture and Interior have ruled out the possibility of this being
the H5N1 strain that has spread through birds in other parts of the
world and caused a number of human deaths. Tests results indicate there
is no threat to human health from the Michigan swans, according to a
news release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Testing, however, is continuing.
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on
FLU 2005-06 |
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Early testing indicated the presence of H5 and N1
avian influenza subtypes. It is possible that these birds were not
infected with an H5N1 strain, but instead with two separate avian
influenza viruses, one containing H5 and the other containing N1.
The swans were sampled as part of the expanded
avian influenza surveillance program. They were showing no signs of
sickness, which suggests that this is "low pathogenicity" (less
contagious) avian influenza.
Additionally, genetic analysis of the virus
conducted at USDA's National Veterinary Services laboratories (NVSL) in
Ames, Iowa, suggests that it is similar to a low pathogenicity strain
that has been found in North America.
The confirmatory testing underway at NVSL will
clarify whether one or more strains of the virus are present, the
specific subtype, as well as pathogenicity. These results are expected
within two weeks and will be made public when completed. It should be
noted that wild birds are known to harbor many influenza viruses, and
the finding of one or more of these viruses during routine testing is
not unusual.
The swans were sampled August 8 at the Mouillee
state game area located on the coast of Lake Erie in Monroe County,
Michigan. The samples were taken by USDA Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service personnel as part of an expanded wild bird monitoring
program. The Departments of Agriculture and Interior are working
collaboratively with States to sample wild birds throughout the United
States for the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Initial screening tests on the swan samples were
conducted by Michigan State University's Diagnostic Center for
Population and Animal Health--part of USDA's National Animal Health
Laboratory Network. These tests indicated the presence of an H5 avian
influenza virus. Confirmatory testing at NVSL confirmed the H5 and the
N1. This testing also suggests, but has not yet confirmed, that this is
low pathogenicity avian influenza.
Low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) commonly
occurs in wild birds, where it typically causes only minor symptoms or
no noticeable symptoms. These strains of the virus are not a human
health concern.
This includes LPAI H5N1, commonly referred to as
the North American H5N1. This strain of low pathogenicity avian
influenza is very different from the more severe HPAI H5N1 circulating
overseas, which is commonly referred to as the Asian H5N1.
Evidence of LPAI H5N1 has been found on two
occasions in wild birds in the United States. In 1975 and 1986, it was
detected in wild ducks. These detections occurred as part of routine
sampling. LPAI H5N1 has also been detected in Canada, most recently in
2005.
There have been almost as many cases reported to
the World Health Organization as in all of last year and there have been
21 more deaths so far this year than in all of 2005. (See chart below.)
>> For more information, visit
http://www.usda.gov/birdflu or
http://www.avianflu.gov.
>> FACT SHEET:
Low-Pathogenicity H5N1 vs. High-Pathogenicity H5N1
>> FACT SHEET:
Avian Influenza Testing And Diagnostics
>>
USDA Bird Flu Information
>>
PandemicFlu.gov & Avian Flu.gov
|
Cumulative Number of
Confirmed Human Cases of Avian Influenza
A/(H5N1) Reported to WHO
14 August 2006
|
Country
|
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
Total |
|
cases |
deaths |
cases |
deaths |
cases |
deaths |
cases |
deaths |
cases |
deaths |
|
Azerbaijan |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
5 |
8 |
5 |
|
Cambodia |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
6 |
|
China |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
5 |
12 |
8 |
21 |
14 |
|
Djibouti |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Egypt |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
14 |
6 |
14 |
6 |
|
Indonesia |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
11 |
40 |
33 |
57 |
44 |
|
Iraq |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
Thailand |
0 |
0 |
17 |
12 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
24 |
16 |
|
Turkey |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
12 |
4 |
12 |
4 |
|
Viet Nam |
3 |
3 |
29 |
20 |
61 |
19 |
0 |
0 |
93 |
42 |
|
Total |
4 |
4 |
46 |
32 |
95 |
41 |
93 |
62 |
238 |
139 |
Total number of cases includes number
of deaths.
WHO reports only laboratory-confirmed
cases. |
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