FOLLOW THE MUTATIONS

[dothedd]

Dubai Municipality forms team to fight common diseases
Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality issued a decision to form a joint team to fight common diseases in the Emirate of Dubai
Staff Report
Published: 16:11 March 12, 2012

Dubai: Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality issued a decision to form a joint team to fight common diseases in the Emirate of Dubai. This is based on the administrative decision No. 438 of 2005 to form an emergency team against Bird Flu, issued on 19December 2005.


The team includes representatives from Dubai Municipality, some ministries and local and federal departments, headed by Engineer Salim Mohammed Mesmar Assistant Director General for Health, Safety and Environment Monitoring sector. The team also includes Mr. Zuhoor Hussain Al Sabbagh, Director of Public Health Services (Vice President), Hisham Ahmed Fahmi Salem, veterinary services expert, Hashim Mohammed Al Awadi, head of veterinary services section, Saleh Ahmed Al-Najjar, head of zoo, Khaled Salem Sulaitan head of environmental emergency office, Ahmed Mohammed Taha Al-Hanbali, veterinary doctor.


In addition, the team has representatives from DHA, Dubai Police, Civil Defence, Armed Forces, Dubai Customs, Dubai Ambulance, Dubai Ports and Free Zone, Ministry of Environment and Water, and General Authority of Civil Aviation.


Salim Mohammed Mesmar said the decision is aimed to coordinate and unify efforts among federal government agencies and local authorities to develop mechanisms for monitoring common diseases in the emirate, which infect animals and transmitted to humans or vice versa. It also aims to develop programs and plans for control and prevent it as soon as detected or suspected occurrence and to raise awareness of citizens and workers in health and education field.

[dothedd]

Bird flu case registered in South Korea

March 12, 2012 | 09:13

The first case of bird flu was registered in South Korea over the last ten months, local authorities reports.

Forty chickens died in one of the bird farms in Chungcheongnam-do province. The tests should show the type and degree of danger of the infection.

In case of negative test results the authorities will have to introduce restrictions on the export of all domestic poultry, ITAR-TASS reports.

[dothedd]

Bird Flu Outbreaks in Israel Kill 10,500 Turkeys, Officials Say

By Jason Gale on March 12, 2012



Bird flu killed about 10,500 turkeys on two farms in western Israel, the first outbreaks of the deadly H5N1 strain in the country in 11 months, veterinary officials said.

The virus threatens 51,000 8-week and 12-week-old Turkeys on the farms in Hadarom, said Nadav Galon, Israel’s director of veterinary services and animal health, in a March 9 report to the World Organization for Animal Health in Paris. The outbreaks began on March 7 and were confirmed the following day. The source of the attack is being investigated, Galon said.

World health and veterinary officials have been monitoring H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks in birds for the past decade because of their potential to infect people. If the virus becomes easily transmissible among humans, it could touch off a deadly pandemic.

[dothedd]

Mild form of bird flu detected in S. Chungcheong Province

MARCH 14, 2012 07:27

Avian influenza found at a poultry farm in South Chungcheong Province has been identified as a milder form of bird flu.

The Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ministry said Tuesday, “Through a thorough inspection by the ministry, avian influenza at the chicken farm has been identified as H9N2, a milder form of bird flu.”


Quarantine authorities, however, said preventive measures are necessary as migrant birds will keep arriving in Korea through April.


Chicken and duck farmers are advised to go near habitats for migrant birds and disinfect their farms at least once a week. Close monitoring of livestock is needed and they should call the livestock quarantine center at 1588-4060 if abnormal symptoms are detected.

[dothedd]

March, 14 2012 10:34:00

Bad weather increases risk of bird flu outbreak

HA NOI — Unfavourable weather conditions that weaken the resistance of poultry and free-ranging duck flocks are increasing the risk of bird flu outbreaks in southern provinces, according to Hoang Van Nam, acting head of the Animal Health Department.
In the past three weeks, the virus had been detected amongst poultry flocks in northern Bac Ninh, Nam Dinh and Quang Ninh provinces, he said.

So far, more than 66,400 livestock have been incinerated in 14 provinces.

Nam said that to prevent virus transmission, the department had allocated 60 million doses of vaccines to 28 provinces at high risk with additional stocks to be imported.

Deputy Minister Diep Kinh Tan yesterday urged relevant authorities to thoroughly and promptly investigate and respond to any form of poultry disease.

In the mean time, effective measures were needed to incinerate and prevent the transport of affected poultry, he stressed.

Tan called for the continuing vaccination of flocks in southern provinces alongside raising awareness on the risk of farming free-ranging ducks at the moment. — VNS

[dothedd]

Bird flu cases in Israeli turkeys

13 Mar 2012

Two instances of Highly pathogenic Avian influenza (H5N1) have been reported in Israel.

The outbreaks occurred on two separate commercial turkey farms in the Hadarom region. In the first case involving 12-week old turkeys, 19,000 birds were susceptible and 10,0000 have been culled.

The second case involved 8-week old turkeys and mortality was found in two pens where 11,000 birds were susceptible.

The epidemiological investigation is ongoing and biosecuirty measures are in place including quarantine of the infected farms and movement control inside the country.

Almost all the cases of H5N1 that have ever been in Israel occurred in March. Israel is also battling several cases of Newcastle Disease which was first reported in the country towards the end of last year, with over 55,000 birds still susceptible according to the OIE.

[dothedd]

Three stray cats die of avian flu in Eilat

LAST UPDATED: 03/15/2012 18:58

Three stray cats found by the Veterinary Service and Health Ministry inspectors at Shalva and Holit in southwest Israel were confirmed as having died from eating poultry infected with avian flu.

The carcasses were sent for examination, and the diagnosis was confirmed. As a result, the health authorities on Thursday said it expects to catch 30 more stray cats in the area near Eilat.

The public was asked to avoid contract with stay cats in the area and to report to the local veterinary services any sick-looking cats just in case, even though the disease is not known to affect humans.

[dothedd]

Cats Killed by H5N1-Infected Turkey Consumption

16 March 2012


ISRAEL - The Israeli veterinary authorities have reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Hadarom.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received an immediate notification yesterday, wherein it was reported that H5N1 was diagnosed in turkeys on 8 March 2012.

On 9 March 2012, just before the culling of the birds, cats were seen eating carcasses. On 14 March 2012, four cats were found dead around the affected pen and some showed clinical signs such as respiratory signs and weakness. On 15 March 2012, the authorities succeeded to catch 16 cats roaming around the infected pen and euthanized them.

Out of 50 susceptible cats, eight cases were reported, out of which four deaths occurred. 16 were destroyed.

Clinical signs appeared in the cats about one week later.

LINK:

www.thepoultrysite.com/bird-flu/bird-flu-news.php

[dothedd]

Tue, March 20, 2012, 9:51 AM

Tons of illegal chickens carried into city amid bird flu

Unvaccinated chickens and ducks are illegally transported on busses into Ho Chi Minh City amid a current outbreak of bird flu

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Thanks to the ‘assistance’ of corrupt officials who sell certificates of quarantine, tons of unvaccinated chickens are being illegally transported into Ho Chi Minh City from neighboring provinces every day despite the current outbreak of avian influenza.

A goods owner has to spend VND300,000 (US$14) to buy a certificate of quarantine for each trip to carry up to a thousand birds into Ho Chi Minh City, or double the sum for an extra certificate of inoculation.

It is estimated that tens of thousands of unvaccinated ducks and chickens have been transported into the city a day. They are all butchered at registered slaughter houses before being supplied to restaurants and factories’ canteens in industrial parks.

‘A field trip’

A big dealer named Ut Hue in Binh Tam Commune of Long An Province’s Tan An District assured her client two weeks ago about the provision of a large amount of chicken.

“Don’t worry. I can provide you as many as you need even though there is an outbreak of avian influenza in many provinces,” she said. “It’s free to transport inside Long An, but you have to buy yourself certificates of quarantine to carry fowls to other locality.”

Hue admitted that she sometimes slaughtered a small amount of inoculated chickens and sent them to a local veterinary agency to get certificates. Then the seal of the packaging is broken to add in illegal fowls. When transporting a large amount of chickens, she said she paid 300,000 dong to simply buy a certificate to legalize her trip into HCMC.

At the gathering point on Phan Huy Ich Street in HCMC’s Go Vap District, the chicken is divided into small amounts and transferred to motorbikes for delivery to restaurants.

“I buy the goods at the very root and sell it directly to users, so how can I have a certificate of quarantine? During the transport, the only way is to avoid police,” said Hue.

Another dealer, Ms. An in Tan Dong Hiep Commune of Binh Duong Province’s Di An District, told Tuoi Tre, “I buy chickens that haven’t been quarantined from remote villages in Tri An District in Dong Nai and distribute them directly to industrial parks’ canteens in Binh Duong.”

Illegal chickens are all transported after midnight to dodge police, she said.

‘Aid’ by veterinary officials?

A dealer named Thao in Mo Cay Bac District of Ben Tre Province admitted that she paid VND300,000 to buy a certificate of quarantine for each shipment of illegal chicken and ducks into Ho Chi Minh City.

“I accept the responsibility of supplying the goods to you, you don’t need to care for anything. I can have quarantine certificates granted by district- or province-level authorities,” Thao told a Tuoi Tre journalist playing the role of a restaurant owner in HCMC.

After talking on a mobile phone for a while, Thao said a man from the provincial veterinary office in Ben Tre agreed to grant her a quarantine certificate when she transports her goods to Ham Luong Bridge.

Ms. An and her husband slaughter unvaccinated chickens in Binh Duong Province for selling to restaurants (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

“Wherever you collect the goods from, just carry it here and I will give you a valid certificate to transport into HCMC. On the certificate, it is noted that the goods come from Ben Tre Town.

“If you want, I will give you a seal so that you can seal the goods off after adding more along the way to HCMC,” Thao added.

On the morning of March 16, Tuoi Tre’s disguised journalists had a date with the man Thao mentioned.

He introduced himself as Buu and said he worked for the Ben Tre Veterinary Department. He said, “Regulations rule that fowls must be inoculated before being granted a quarantine certificate.

“If you have no certificate of inoculation, I can offer help. It’s 600,000 dong for both certificates of inoculation and quarantine for a shipment of 1,000 chickens.”

Buu added that any dealer needing to transport illegal fowls can call him or send him an SMS message including details such as the number plate of the truck, the driver’s name, and the address of slaughter house and they will be given a certificate at Ham Luong Bridge.

Tran Quang Thai, acting chief of the Ben Tre Veterinary Department, told Tuoi Tre that any officials receiving bribes to grant quarantine certificates will be strictly punished, although he has never heard of his staff committing any wrongdoings.

It is ruled that the origin of fowls must be clearly stated on the quarantine certificate. For example, it is wrong if the goods come from districts such as Mo Cay Bac and Mo Cay Nam but Ben Tre is stated on the certificate, he said.

Regarding the man named Buu, Thai said he will investigate, but admitted that one of his staff members is named Le Quang Buu, who is a veterinary medicine teacher.

www.tuoitrenews.vn/cmlink/tuoitrenews/features/tons-of-illegal-chickens-carried-into-city-amid-bird-flu-1.65496#

[dothedd]

Singapore News

AVA to conduct "bird flu exercise"
Posted: 22 March 2012 0804 hrs

SINGAPORE: The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) will test its emergency preparedness on Thursday to respond to a 'bird flu outbreak'.

The drill is code-named "Exercise Gallus VI", and would be AVA's sixth exercise.

It will test AVA's crisis management and the operational readiness of its staff when dealing with an outbreak.

Among the tests to be carried out are the activation and recall process of emergency response staff, the system of culling and disposal of chickens as well as a new foam decontamination process.

The exercise will be held at AVA's Veterinary Public Health Centre premises in Lim Chu Kang as well as at a local poultry farm.

[Aman A.K.A. Ahamburger]

DOT, some info to consider, perhaps you are aware... In a colder climate like were I live it needs to get to -30 C to kill summer bugs.. It didn't get that cold here and lots are ill. Could a winter and summer mix be part of these Mutations

[dothedd]

Aham,

I was working on some information to post, but had to close up shop and go to the basement due to tornado warnings again today/tonight. A F1 touch-down about two miles from me, but didn't do much damage. I think the season's worst is yet to come. So much for the weather report.

A couple of books on the subject worth the read: The Great Influenza by John M. Barry, and The Monster At Our Door by Mike Davis. I will post a few notes of interest tomorrow.

Below is an interesting article, but not the one I was looking for.

Why flu strikes in cold weather

Scientists believe they have uncovered a key reason why flu viruses tend to strike in cold weather.

They found the viruses coat themselves in fatty material that hardens to a gel, protecting them in the cold.

This coating melts in the higher temperatures of the respiratory tract, allowing the virus to infect cells.

The US National Institutes of Health team hope their study, which features in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, could lead to new treatments.

“ The study results open new avenues of research for thwarting winter flu outbreaks ”
Dr Duane Alexander = National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

However, a UK expert said the discovery did not explain why some flu viruses also thrived in tropical climates.

The hard rubbery coating around the virus which forms in colder temperatures gives it the protection it needs to pass from person to person. The coating is so robust it can even resist to certain detergents.

However, once inside a host the virus can only infect a target cell once the coating has melted.

But this liquid phase is not tough enough to protect the virus against the elements, and so if the protective coating melts when the virus is outside the host, it dies.

Detailed fingerprint

Dr Duane Alexander, director of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said: "The study results open new avenues of research for thwarting winter flu outbreaks.

"Now that we understand how the flu virus protects itself so that it can spread from person to person, we can work on ways to interfere with that protective mechanism."

The researchers used a sophisticated magnetic resonance technique to create a detailed fingerprint of how the flu virus's outer membranes responded to variations in temperature.

“ I don't think this study provides anything like a definitive answer on the spread of the virus ”
Professor John Oxford
Queen Mary College School of Medicine


The virus's outer membrane is composed chiefly of molecules known as lipids, such as oils, fats and cholesterol.

The researchers found that at temperatures slightly above freezing, this lipid covering solidified into a gel.

However, as temperatures approached 15.6C (60F) , the covering gradually thawed, eventually melting to a soupy mix.

The researchers concluded that temperatures in the spring and summer were too high to allow the viral membrane to enter its gel state.

As a result, at these temperatures the individual flu viruses would dry out and weaken - accounting for the end of the flu season.

Professor John Oxford, an expert in virology at Queen Mary College School of Medicine, London, said the paper was interesting, but it might be premature to draw firm conclusions.

He said: "If this is the case why do we get flu in tropical areas, where the temperature is 35C (95F) all the time?

"Places like Vietnam and Indonesia are predicted to be the epicentre of a new outbreak of pandemic flu."

Professor Oxford said researchers had tried to link flu infection definitively to cold weather since the great Russian outbreak of 1890, but had failed to come up with conclusive proof of a link.

"I don't think this study provides anything like a definitive answer on the spread of the virus - there must be some other factors that come into play," he said.

newsvote.bbc.co.uk/mpapps/pagetools/print/news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7276447.stm


Flu's protective coat must melt to infect a cell
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7276447.stm

Night!

dot