Warning over risk of new strain of avian influenza
Scotland’s poultry producers should prepare themselves for a potential new strain of avian influenza reaching Europe’s poultry farms this winter, a leading disease expert warned yesterday.
Ian Brown, head of virology at of the UK’S Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), told the World Veterinary Poultry Association conference that there was a likelihood that avian flu would return to Europe over the next few months.
And if the strain was different to one we had seen before – which was possible – it could have significant implications on the poultry industry, he warned.
Brown said while the situation was currently uncertain, it was important poultry keepers were prepared against a potential biosecurity risk.
“Evenifthevirusischanging, the way it behaves and spreads remains the same, so the pathways in which it gets into a unit are not any different,” said Brown, who is also director of the international reference laboratory for avian influenza at Apha-weybridge.
“At this time of year, producers need to review their biosecurity and work as a group in the industry to set
0 Poultry keepers urged to ensure biosecurity is up to date protocols.they need to be fastidious, as one case can cause the whole sector to suffer.”
Brown said practices such as compartmentalisation – where business or multiple farms can adopt common biosecurity measures to standardise their approach to protecting bird health – could be beneficial.
However, relatively simple measures such as ensuring buildings are in a good state and feed bedding and equipment is stored away from areas wild birds can access were just as important.
“The challenge for the industry is to look at the risks we know,” he said. “The riskiest period is September to April, so we need to think about how we can sustain that biosecurity.”
Scotland’s chief veterinary officer Sheila Voas said it was important producers remembered the risk of bird flu from wild birds, and urged bird keepers to reduce contact with wild birds in ponds and other water areas.
“As winter migration season approaches, all bird keepers should be enhancing their disease prevention measures in response to any increase in risk and are encouraged to keep up to date with the latest situation by signing up for the APHA free text alerts service,” she added.
“I would also strongly encourage both commercial and hobby bird keepers to be prepared and use this time to reassess and update their contingency plans, in consultation with private vets or the APHA.”