H5 on Two Partridge Farms in Portugal
Recombinomics Commentary
December 22, 2007
Seven thousand partridge will be slaughtered today in the Portuguese town of Mafra due to the detection of subtype H5
Same measure was applied on the eve of a thousand birds in such elárea of Lourinha
there is an abnormal situation mortality flu
The two places where the virus was detected facilities are dedicated to the breeding of partridges for restocking for hunting, said a communique from the ministry of Agriculture.
The above translation describes the detection of H5 at two partridge breeding facilities along the coast of Portugal northwest of Lisbon (see satellie map). The large number of birds schedules for culling, coupled with abnormal mortality suggests the H5 will be Qinghai H5N1.
Portugal has not reported H5N1 infections previously, but the number of H5N1 reports in Europe is unusually high for this time of year. Therefore, and H5N1 infections in neighboring countries is not a surprise. Over the summer France reported the Uva Lake strain of H5N1. More recently, England has also reported H5N1.
More information on the serotype of H5 in Portugal would be useful.
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