H5N1 in Egypt Spreads to Farms
Recombinomics Commentary 09:45
December 30, 2007
Amid tightened veterinary and sanitary practices were yesterday executed 60 Bmzrotain A bird in the Eastern province, and had been extracting samples from random estates, the first valley of kings, Abouhmad Center, and the second in Saadat status Bio , after the deaths of large numbers of birds by, and the results were positive sampling disease avian influenza.
The above translation describes the culling of 60,000 birds in Ash Shariqiyah (see satellite map). It is one of several reports of H5N1 detection in poultry farms in Egypt. Although H5N1 was widespread in early 2006, in late 2006 / early 2007 most reporting was on outbreaks in backyard holdings (see satellite maps here here here here here).
The movement to farms and backyard holdings, in spite of an extensive vaccination program raises concerns that the Uva Lake strain is moving into Egypt. This strain was not widely reported last season. Although the outbreak at Uva Lake in the summer of 2006 was massive (see satellite map), neither Russia nor Mongolia filed OIE reports on the outbreak. Recently released sequences from the outbreak in South Korea shows that the Uva Lake strain had migrated there last year.
Reports on the early 2007 outbreak in Kuwait indicate the Uva Lake strain was also there. However, Egypt, like Europe, did not report any H5N1 outbreaks involving the Uva Lake strain.
However, in the summer of 2007, Uva Lake was detected in wild bird outbreaks in Germany, the Czech Republic, and France. Sequence data was presented for multiple outbreaks in Germany, as well as a fall outbreak in Krasnodar. Recent reports indicate Uva Lake sequences were found in northeastern Germany, suggesting recent outbreaks in Poland are also Uva Lake. Similarly, outbreaks in Rostov on farms near Krasnodar suggest most if not all of the recent outbreaks in Europe and the Middle East involve the Uva Lake strain.
Sequences data from Egypt would be useful.
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