Bird flu scare: Sample collection procedure raises expert concerns
State animal husbandry department sent 819 samples, including 38 of wild birds, for test to Kolkata on Wednesday; according to experts, samples should be collected within 12 hours of a bird’s death
RANCHI: Though Jharkhand is yet to report a single case of avian influenza, the sample collection procedure of dead birds have raised concerns among experts in the state.
Samples of dead crows, which were found dead in Jamshedpur on January 6, have been rejected by the Kolkata based Research Disease Diagnostic Lab (RDDL) due to putrefaction of the dead bodies, officials said on Wednesday.
Samples of dozens of wild birds that were found dead in Chaibasa, Dumka, Ranchi and Latehar districts on Monday were sent for testing for avian influenza to RDDL on Wednesday.
However, according to veterinary experts, samples of dead birds should be collected within 12 hours of a bird’s death, which increases possibility of accuracy in the test. Besides, the entire body of the bird is not required to be sent for testing.
Dean of veterinary sciences and animal husbandry at Birsa Agricultural University (BAU), Ranchi, Sushil Prasad, said, “If there is suspect case of avian influenza, the bird’s body should not be sent for testing, as possibility of it decomposing would be higher, which will reduce chances of accuracy in results. Sample of the bird should be collected carefully before sent it for testing.”
He said swabs are extracted from respiratory tract of birds. Besides, serum is also taken for more accurate testing. “However, samples should be collected within 12 hours of the bird’s death. If it gets delayed, possibility of getting accurate report weakens,” he said.
Over delay in sending the wild birds’ samples of Dumka and Chaibasa, state nodal officer (bird flu) Alok Kumar Singh said they received the samples from Chaibasa on Tuesday, while the sample from Dumka was received on Wednesday.
“We sent a total of 819 samples Wednesday to RDDL, including 38 samples of wild birds,” Singh said.
He said they were not sending bodies of birds anymore, as they might go unnoticed in the lab. “We are sending only samples, including swab and serum, as possibility of destruction of samples is lower,” he said. Singh said they have sent more than 4,000 samples so far, but no confirmed case has been reported.