Over the previous week, notifications from nationwide veterinary authorities have recorded that wild mammals have examined constructive for the extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in two geographically distant European states.
Primarily based on reporting to the World Organisation for Animal Well being (WOAH), Europe had been freed from HPAI infections since June of 2024.
Earlier this month, in Central Europe, a fox discovered lifeless in Slovenia examined constructive for the H5N1 virus, in accordance with the official notification.
Round one week in the past, the H5N5 virus serotype was detected in a lynx (wild cat) discovered lifeless in northern Norway.
In February of this 12 months, two lifeless foxes examined constructive for a similar virus variant in the identical Norwegian county. The illness state of affairs was declared “resolved” by the Norwegian animal well being company six months in the past.
5 European states file new HPAI instances in poultry
Following affirmation of the presence of the H5N1 virus serotype, additional HPAI outbreaks have been reported within the Czech Republic (Czechia), Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK (U.Okay.)
In Poland, a industrial poultry flock of round 21,000 birds within the north-east of the nation was hit by the an infection final week.
This brings to 46 the nation’s outbreak complete in 2024, in accordance with the chief veterinary workplace. Instantly impacted have been simply over 3.14 million poultry, together with the meat turkey flock concerned within the newest outbreak.
Because the autumn/fall, outbreaks have occurred at 31 poultry premises in Italy, in accordance with the nation’s authority for animal well being and meals security, IZSVe.
This complete contains six infections that started within the interval December 10-19. Affected had been three flocks of laying hens, and one every of geese, meat turkeys, and broiler chickens. The province of Mantua within the Lombardy area was the situation of 5 of those outbreaks, the place a number of farms have already been affected in current months. The different premises was the primary to be hit this 12 months in Verona, which is a part of the Veneto area.
Within the U.Okay., the agriculture division, Defra is so involved concerning the evolving HPAI state of affairs that it has introduced in a necessary housing order for poultry in elements of jap England. Taking impact from December 23, it covers the beforehand designated Avian Influenza Safety Zone (AIPZ), and moreover contains the county of Lincolnshire. All poultry within the new AIPZ are coated by the housing order — even small pastime flocks.
Over the previous week, the authority has registered with WOAH an extra 4 outbreaks. These carry the sequence complete since December 1 to eight, immediately impacting round 236,000 poultry. Of those newest outbreaks, all had been within the county of Norfolk, and concerned three turkey flocks, and certainly one of free-range broiler chickens.
In current days, Defra has confirmed outbreaks involving the H5N1 HPAI virus serotype at additional poultry farms, bringing the nation’s complete to fifteen to this point.
Registering with WOAH new HPAI outbreaks in captive birds over the previous week have been the Czech Republic (six in yard poultry), and Germany (at a zoo).
Overview of the HPAI state of affairs in European birds
To this point this 12 months, 439 outbreaks of HPAI have been recorded in poultry flocks in 20 European international locations. That is in accordance with the Animal Illness Info System by the European Fee (EC; as of December 25). It displays listed animal ailments in EU member states and adjoining international locations, together with the Republic of Türkiye (Turkey), however excluding Nice Britain.
Worst affected by HPAI in poultry this 12 months has been Hungary (with 202 outbreaks so far), adopted by Poland (46), Moldova (45), Italy (32), and Germany (28).
For comparability, the System logged a complete of 521 HPAI outbreaks on this inhabitants in 24 international locations throughout the entire of 2023.
Amongst their respective wild chicken populations, eight European states registered new H5N1 HPAI instances with the EC System over the previous week.
Highest variety of new instances was recorded by the Netherlands (23). Additional instances had been additionally reported within the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
For the 12 months so far, 1,020 HPAI outbreaks in wild birds in 34 international locations have been logged by the EC System.
Throughout the entire of final 12 months, the outbreak complete was 3,559 in 30 states, based mostly on the identical supply.
Not coated by the EC System, the U.Okay. studies 4 extra wild birds examined constructive for the H5N1 HPAI variant — all in England — in accordance with the most recent notification to WOAH.
View our persevering with protection of the world avian influenza state of affairs in poultry, and on illness developments within the U.S. dairy sector.
