The British H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak

[W.Davidson]

About 160,000 turkeys have been culled at a British factory farm, due to an outbreak of the deadliest form of bird flu H5N1.

 

This is the Asian flu that kills family clusters in places like Indonesia. It's molecular make up makes it identical to an outbreak that occurred in Hungary.

 

The turkeys were in a strictly controlled environment, housed in a large shed. Over a thousand died of the infection, which was confined to one shed. There's no known H5N1 infection in the wild bird population. Thousands of dead waterfowl were analysed before this happened and none had H5N1.

 

None of the experts has any idea how it could have happened. A small bird getting in through an air vent, infected faeces on a worker's boot, or infection of the feed have all been suggested, none of which seem plausible.

 

Any ideas?

 

BBC NEWS | UK | Experts hunt for bird flu source

[gribbon]

Bird flu isn't easily transmissible to humans by breath, becuase coughing and sneezing doesn't expel the virus, which bonds specifically onto galactose receptors in the lungs. It is usaully transmitted between birds through saliva, nasal secretions, feces and blood. A more likely possibility is that it came through feed (where it often hides). Other possibilities include that it came through fertiliser or manure.

 

Wikipedia has more on this: H5N1 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

I expect it's most likely to have come through the last three possibilities mentioned, which just shows how all problems are compounded by trade. The other ways are almost impossible. There is some evidence to back this in the following link, (According to BBC NEWS | UK | Experts hunt for bird flu source) though it has been known for some time that trade restrictions are imperative.

 

Here's another intersting bit of info I picked out from BBC:

 

"The virus has so far been detected in only one shed out of 22 at the site."

 

I think that makes it more difficult....

 

According to BBC NEWS | UK | Experts hunt for bird flu source