Sniffles wrote:     UK poultry worker 'has bird flu' A poultry worker has contracted the H7 strain of bird flu in the form of conjunctivitis,

interesting infected through the eye mucus

humm african horse sickness in the news
http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=49&fArticleId=3219918
 infected through the eye mucus membrane

Bird flu strain is not H5N1

IAN CLARKE, SHAUN LOWTHORPE

28 April 2006 21:51

East Anglia's £1bn poultry industry tonight breathed “a massive sigh of relief” as a bird flu outbreak was confirmed as mild so no large scale restrictions are needed.

One poultry worker on the mid Norfolk farm where it was detected has contracted the H7N3 strain of the disease in the form of the eye infection conjunctivitis.

The man - who is thought to have had very close contact with infected birds - did not need to go to hospital and is at home “in good health” receiving anti-viral drugs.

But there was overwhelming relief within the industry which employs 40,000 people that the “nightmare scenario” of a foot and mouth-style shutdown of large parts of the countryside has been avoided.

The government's chief veterinary officer Dr Debby Reynolds revealed the outbreak at Whitford Lodge Farm, North Tuddenham, near Dereham, was the H7N3 strain which last occurred in the UK in 1979. It has no relation to the H5N1 virus which has killed 100 people worldwide.

Some further laboratory tests are needed over the next week on samples taken from the Tuddenham farm, but Dr Reynolds said indications were that it was a low-pathogenic virus - which eases fears over the disease spreading to other farms.

Nigel Joice, regional chairman of the National Farmers' Union poultry board, said: “We can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Bird flu is not good news but this is the best news we could have had in this situation.

“We are reassured that large scale restrictions will not be needed.”

He said the swift actions after the outbreak was reported had ensured the virus could be isolated - unlike an outbreak in Holland in 2003 when authorities were slow to respond and 32 million birds were slaughtered.

Heather Peck, Defra's regional operations director, said: "It's certainly good news that it's H7N3 - that's a very important piece of news.

"This means that the restrictions required around the infected premises are extremely less.

"Have we identified every possible case in the country? We don't know. That's why we are doing increased surveillance.”

The precautionary mass cull of all 35,000 birds at Tuddenham should be completed on Saturday.

And it was claimed tonight that the farm could be operating again within a month once a thorough clean up had been carried out.

The farm - which has a one kilometre restricted zone around it - is owned by Banham Poultry.

Tests are being carried at all 30 Banham sites in the region including tracking the movements of staff on and off the poultry farms in a bid to pinpoint the origin of the outbreak.

Some movement restrictions are starting to be lifted.

Officials said the most likely cause of the outbreak was “faecal contamination” with people “not being as rigorous in their disinfectant processes as they should have been.”

The “be sensible but don't panic” message was tonight re-iterated in Norfolk as 1800 reassurance leaflets were delivered to homes in villages near Tuddenham.

The insistence that “Norfolk is open for business as usual” was also repeated as the bank holiday weekend began.

The man with conjunctivitis has the low pathogenic H7N3 strain of avian flu which does not transmit easily from person to person.

He reported his illness on Thursday and people he lives with have been given advice by health officials.

Between 60 and 70 other people, including members of the State Veterinary Service and poultry workers had been issued with antiviral drugs as a precaution.

Swabs and blood tests have also been taken from some and their health has been monitored.

During the 2003 outbreak of H7 bird flu in Holland about eight people got infections such as conjunctivitis. One vet died and that remains the only death attributed to H7.

Dr Maria Zambon, director of the Health Protection Agency's Influenza Laboratory, said the risk posed to the general public is “extremely limited.”

“It is important to remember that H7 remains largely a disease of birds.

Two ambulances were called to the Tuddenham farm during today to take away workers, but they are thought to be unrelated to the outbreak.

One suffered an epileptic fit and the other is thought to have recently had an operation.

Mrs Peck said vets were investigating three reports of dead chickens being found elsewhere in the county - but stressed there was no link with the Banham outbreak and such reports were to be expected at a time of heightened concern.

Two of the reports are thought to involve backyard hens, while she could not confirm if the third incident took place on a farm.

Mid Norfolk MP Keith Simpson said it was “good news” that it was the H7 strain rather than the more serious virus.

Alan Hay, director of the Medical Research Council's World Influenza Centre, said the H7N3 infection in people was not unusual but could only be passed through close contact.


The national Defra helpline for anyone with queries or concerns about bird flu is 08459 335577.

Chief vet responds to bird flu test results
28/04/2006

Following preliminary laboratory results indicating that the Avian Influenza virus isolated in a Norfolk poultry unit is a low pathogenic H7 strain the Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland, Charles Milne, welcomed the rapid response to this incident.

These results, obtained by the Veterinary Laboratory Agency, do not affect the proposal to lift the restrictions imposed following the identification of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza in a swan at Cellardyke.

Mr Milne said:

"The preliminary finding of low pathogenic H7 Avian Influenza in Norfolk has no direct implications for the poultry industry in Scotland.

"However, this incident highlights the importance of good surveillance and we continue to encourage poultry keepers to be vigilant for signs of disease in their flock and to maintain good biosecurity.

"We remain on course to lift the 10 kilometre Wild Bird Surveillance Zone on 1 May. It is intended to lift the wider Wild Bird Risk Area at the same time subject to any further developments and a veterinary risk assessment."

The Wild Bird Surveillance and Wild Bird Risk Area are expected to be lifted at 00.01 hours on 1 May 2006.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2006/04/28211703

Commonground, i think Dr. Niman said the Spring Bride would be a pig with H1N1 and the aquisition would be G228S.  That had to do with the binding site on the virus and would enable H5 to infect easier.  He did make a comment about H7 that used to be in Germany and  to the belief it would have been much worse, but records said it had been eradicated from the area.

Economical with the truth?

World News

The Times April 29, 2006 Eye infection diagnosed in bird flu farm worker By Valerie Elliott, Countryside Editor A POULTRY worker has contracted conjunctivitis from birds on the Norfolk farm infected with a low pathogenic strain of H7 avian flu virus. The man, who has not been named, suffered red irritable eyes yesterday. He was immediately treated and is now said to be in good health. His family have been examined but show no signs of this mild infection. < =text/>NI_MPU('middle'); The worker, employed by Banham Poultry UK Ltd, is one of 70 people who are also being treated with Oseltamivir, the antiviral drug, to protect them from bird flu. No one else has shown symptoms of sickness. The incident yesterday was not linked with an avian flu outbreak and medical experts said that the dust and dry conditions in chicken sheds make workers more prone to conjunctivitis. Debby Reynolds, the Government’s chief vet, last night confirmed that the virus infecting 35,000 birds at Whitford Lodge farm in North Tuddenham, near Dereham, was the less virulent H7N3 flu strain. This was last seen in Britain in 1979 and has no resemblance to the lethal H5N1 virus. A cull of the chickens was under way, after being delayed by 24 hours because of an error that required a new firm to be called in to assist. The H7N3 virus is endemic in poultry in parts of America and has also been reported recently in chickens in Canada and Italy. It is not easily passed between humans or birds. However, Dr Reynolds has ordered extra checks on bird samples to make certain that there is no evidence of the highly pathogenic strain of the virus that could decimate commercial poultry flocks. A 1 km (2/3 ml) surveillance zone is in place around the infected Witford Lodge farm and movement restrictions on all birds and eggs are in place on 30 other premises in Norfolk and Suffolk owned by Banham. Three years ago, during the outbreak of H7 Asian flu in the Netherlands, 88 people suffered conjunctivitis and of these 10 per cent also had severe respiratory problems. Government vets are still investigating the cause of the outbreak at the Norfolk farm, but suspect that the virus arrived from another infected farm or from wild birds. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2156511,00.html

Ms. Tweed is an epidemiologist at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control. Her main research interests are vaccine-preventable, respiratory, and emerging infectious diseases.

http://www.flu.org.cn/resources/20041112809.htm

'Don't panic' message over bird flu

Officials have moved swiftly to reassure the public after a poultry worker contracted the H7 strain of bird flu in the form of conjunctivitis.

Letters were being delivered to some 1,800 homes near to the Norfolk farm, as vets continued to slaughter 35,000 chickens after the virus was detected earlier this week.

Both the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and Norfolk County Council stressed the countryside was "open", despite the outbreak in which the worker is thought to have become infected via close contact with poultry.

"We want to reassure residents that all agencies are working together to minimise the impact of the outbreak of the form of avian flu on the local community," said a spokesman for Norfolk County Council.

"A joint letter from the two Chief Executives of the councils is being delivered to about 1,800 homes tonight and over the weekend in North and East Tuddenham, Hockering and Mattishall to reassure local people."

The HPA said the worker reported his illness yesterday, adding symptoms were limited to an eye infection, without respiratory problems.

The infected man, who has not been identified, has the low pathogenic H7N3 strain of avian flu which does not transmit easily from person to person, the HPA said.

Dr Maria Zambon, director of the HPA's Influenza Laboratory, said: "He is in good health. He has a mild illness."

Experts say tests have shown the virus detected at Hockering is the milder H7 strain of avian flu - not the deadly H5N1 strain that has claimed the lives of hundreds of people in Asia.

The risk posed to the general public from the outbreak at Witford Lodge Farm is "extremely limited", the HPA added, and the worker did not need hospital treatment.

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1822631.html?menu=