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Avian influenza H6N1 confirmed at poultry premises in East Anglia

   

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Ref: 42/09
Date: 27 February 2009

Further laboratory tests following a routine veterinary investigation at two poultry premises in East Anglia have now confirmed that the avian influenza virus present is H6N1.

The H6 virus type has been isolated in domestic poultry and wild birds in Europe over the last few years.

Animal Health began the investigation late on Tuesday evening (24 February) and is waiting for further laboratory tests to determine whether the virus is high or low pathogenicity, and these results are not expected for some days.

To date there is no evidence that avian influenza of the H6 type has been found to be highly pathogenic, but this possibility cannot be ruled out until the further laboratory tests are complete.

Restrictions remain in place on the premises while the investigation continues. No further precautionary restrictions are considered necessary in the area at present.

Routine veterinary investigations into notifiable diseases occur on a regular basis. It is a legal requirement to notify the Animal Health agency of the possibility of such diseases whenever these cannot be ruled out by a vet or an animal keeper as part of the diagnosis of illness in animals or birds.

Notes to editors

1. Avian influenza is a disease of birds. Whilst it can pass very rarely and with difficulty to humans, this requires extremely close contact with infected birds, particularly faeces.
2. All avian influenza viruses (H1 to H16) can exist in the low pathogenic form but to date only those of H5 and H7 sub types have been associated with high pathogenicity .
3. For further information, please visit the avian influenza pages on the Defra website: www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/ai/index.htm
4. Avian influenza has been found in Great Britain on the following occasions:

  • June 2008 – Highly pathogenic H7N7 found among chickens on a premises near Banbury in Oxfordshire. 
  • January/February 2008 – Highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza confirmed in 11 wild birds in the Chesil Beach area in Dorset.
  • November 2007 - H5N1 Avian Influenza on a turkey farm near Diss, Norfolk.
  • June 2007 - H7 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza near St Helens, Merseyside, England.
  • May 2007 - H7N2 Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Corwen, Conwy, North Wales.
  • February 2007 – Highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza in poultry,  Upper Holton, Suffolk.
  • May 2006 - Low pathogenic H7N3 in chickens in Dereham, Norfolk
  • April 2006 – Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in a swan in  Cellardyke (Fife, Scotland) .
  • October 2005 – Highly pathogenic H5N1 found in birds in quarantine in Essex (although that did not count as an outbreak as they were in quarantine).

End

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Page published: 27 February 2009