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News & Reports
News & Reports
notifiable diseases
Defra reported on July 13 that a case of H7N7 avian influenza had been confirmed on a premises in Lancashire. It said that a temporary control zone, which had been imposed on July 10 when initial suspicions of disease emerged, had been replaced by a 10 km surveillance zone and an inner 3 km protection zone. Movement restrictions were in effect and all birds on the affected premises were being humanely culled. All poultry farms within the 10 km control zone around the infected premises
were subject to restrictions on the movement of poultry, carcases, eggs, used poultry litter and manure. Restrictions on bird gatherings, such as fairs, shows and exhibitions, and on the release of gamebirds were also in place. Nigel Gibbens, the Chief Veterinary Officer, said on July 13: ‘Final test results have confirmed a case of avian flu at a farm in Lancashire. Restrictions put in place last week will continue and the humane culling of all birds at the site is progressing.
These actions are part of our tried-andtested approach to dealing with previous outbreaks.’ Mr Gibbens reported that Public Health England had confirmed that the risk to public health from the strain was very low, and that the Food Standards Agency had said there was no food safety risk for consumers. In the meantime, he said, ‘Bird keepers should remain alert for any signs of disease, report suspect disease to their nearest APHA office immediately and ensure they
t
Highly pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza confirmed in Lancashire
July 18, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 57
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on November 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
News & Reports are maintaining good biosecurity on their premises.’ A report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on July 14 noted that this was a highly pathogenic strain of the H7N7 virus, affecting approximately 50,000 free-range and 120,000 housed 67-week-old laying hens. As of July 13, approximately 36,000 birds had died and approximately 88,000 birds had been destroyed. Culling was ongoing. The BVA and its specialist division, the British Veterinary Poultry Association, commented that the quick identification of the suspected case and the swift imposition of precautionary measures to contain the disease illustrated the ongoing importance of a robust veterinary surveillance system working in a coordinated manner with Defra and other government departments. The outbreak in Lancashire follows a case of low pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza in chickens in Hampshire in February this year (VR, February 7, 2015, vol 176, p 135) and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza on a duck farm in Yorkshire in November 2014 (VR, November 22, 2014, vol 175, p 495). doi: 10.1136/vr.h3844
58 | Veterinary Record | July 18, 2015
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on November 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Highly pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza confirmed in Lancashire Veterinary Record 2015 177: 57-58
doi: 10.1136/vr.h3844 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/177/3/57.2
These include:
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Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
News & Reports
News & Reports
notifiable diseases
Defra reported on July 13 that a case of H7N7 avian influenza had been confirmed on a premises in Lancashire. It said that a temporary control zone, which had been imposed on July 10 when initial suspicions of disease emerged, had been replaced by a 10 km surveillance zone and an inner 3 km protection zone. Movement restrictions were in effect and all birds on the affected premises were being humanely culled. All poultry farms within the 10 km control zone around the infected premises
were subject to restrictions on the movement of poultry, carcases, eggs, used poultry litter and manure. Restrictions on bird gatherings, such as fairs, shows and exhibitions, and on the release of gamebirds were also in place. Nigel Gibbens, the Chief Veterinary Officer, said on July 13: ‘Final test results have confirmed a case of avian flu at a farm in Lancashire. Restrictions put in place last week will continue and the humane culling of all birds at the site is progressing.
These actions are part of our tried-andtested approach to dealing with previous outbreaks.’ Mr Gibbens reported that Public Health England had confirmed that the risk to public health from the strain was very low, and that the Food Standards Agency had said there was no food safety risk for consumers. In the meantime, he said, ‘Bird keepers should remain alert for any signs of disease, report suspect disease to their nearest APHA office immediately and ensure they
t
Highly pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza confirmed in Lancashire
July 18, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 57
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on November 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
News & Reports are maintaining good biosecurity on their premises.’ A report to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on July 14 noted that this was a highly pathogenic strain of the H7N7 virus, affecting approximately 50,000 free-range and 120,000 housed 67-week-old laying hens. As of July 13, approximately 36,000 birds had died and approximately 88,000 birds had been destroyed. Culling was ongoing. The BVA and its specialist division, the British Veterinary Poultry Association, commented that the quick identification of the suspected case and the swift imposition of precautionary measures to contain the disease illustrated the ongoing importance of a robust veterinary surveillance system working in a coordinated manner with Defra and other government departments. The outbreak in Lancashire follows a case of low pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza in chickens in Hampshire in February this year (VR, February 7, 2015, vol 176, p 135) and an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza on a duck farm in Yorkshire in November 2014 (VR, November 22, 2014, vol 175, p 495). doi: 10.1136/vr.h3844
58 | Veterinary Record | July 18, 2015
Downloaded from http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/ on November 21, 2015 - Published by group.bmj.com
Highly pathogenic H7N7 avian influenza confirmed in Lancashire Veterinary Record 2015 177: 57-58
doi: 10.1136/vr.h3844 Updated information and services can be found at: http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/177/3/57.2
These include:
Email alerting service
Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the box at the top right corner of the online article.
Notes
To request permissions go to: http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions To order reprints go to: http://journals.bmj.com/cgi/reprintform To subscribe to BMJ go to: http://group.bmj.com/subscribe/
