H5N1 In Northeastern India
Recombinomics Commentary
February 19, 2007
The deadly H5N1 avian flu virus has been detected in the serum of about 12 samples of chicks in the blood test conducted at the Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RDDL) at Belgachhia in the city last week.
The blood samples were collected from poultry birds in the state-run Golapbag pouotry farm in Burdwan town soon after bird flu cases were reported in a European country and then in neighbouring Pakistan.
This is the first time samples tested positive in Bengal since the deadly disease hit Jalgaon of Maharashtra exactly one year ago.
The serum test report has sent shock waves among the scientists of Belgachhia RDDL, sole well-equipped laboratory in the entire eastern India for confirmation of avian flu virus among poultry birds.
It was learnt that the RDDL authority has sent the samples along with their lab test report to the High Security Animal Disease Laboratory (HSADL) to Bhopal for final confirmation.
Dr Dilip Das, director of the state animal resource development (ARD) told the Hindustan Times, "We have got H5N1 positive in serum of several samples of poultry birds during eliza tests at RDDL. We have sent the serum samples along with our lab test report to the HSADL in Bhopal for confirmation.
The above comments describe the detection of H5N1 in northeastern India just north of Cacutta. H5N1 was detected last year at this time in western India near Bombay. H5N1 in northeastern India is not a surprise. The Qinghai strain of H5N1 was detected at Qinghia Lake in May, 2005. Many of the birds at Qinghai Lake in the spring winter on the northern plains of India. Although India fail to find H5N1 in wild birds last year, the return of H5N1 to Qinghai province in the spring of 2006 strongly suggests H5N1 was in India last winter and this winter.
H5N1 sequences from last year’s outbreak were released. Although HA and MP sequences were of the Qinghai strain, the N1 sequence was an exact march of H5N1 found in poultry in China, defining reassortment. These data suggest H5N1 levels in India were high and it is likely that H5N1 was widespread.
The H5N1 described above is about 150 miles from mysterious deaths in northwestern Bengladesh, raising additional concerns that the fatal human cluster may be related to the detection of H5N1 in India.
More information on this outbreak, including sequences, would be interesting. Like last year, H5N1 is being reported with increasing frequency in countries west of China, as expected from migration of the Qinghai H5N1. Reporting significantly lags the introduction of H5N1, and many countries fail to find the H5N1 in wild birds prior to the detection of outbreaks in domestic poultry.
It is expected that the H5N1 in India will be the Qinghai strain, and additional countries will be reporting H5N1 outbreaks in February and March.
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