News

Decisive action could prevent spread of bird flu, says expert

(13 November 2007)

A Durham University expert from the Centre for Infectious Diseases comments on the outbreak of avian flu in Suffolk.

Dr Robert Paul Yeo, lecturer in microbiology and infectious diseases, stresses the importance of taking appropriate action to contain the disease but highlights that the outbreak may still have significant economic effects. Dr Yeo said: “If outbreaks in commercial stocks of poultry are detected quickly and dealt with by slaughtering infected birds, spread of the virus should be limited or stopped completely. “Monitoring commercial and other privately owned birds is the most important aspect of preventing spread of the disease. Once spotted, the outbreak can then be contained effectively. Moving birds to sheds and stopping bird events such as pigeon racing may be necessary to prevent spread. “Worryingly for a region of the UK with a significant economic dependency on poultry farming the effects of limits in movement of birds, even to slaughter, could have a major knock-on effect on many people’s livelihood.” All employees at the Suffolk farm have now been given antiviral drugs as a precaution. Dr Yeo explained that the risk of someone being infected directly from birds is low, but vigilance is still essential as the disease has previously caused infection and even death in humans in other countries. Tests have confirmed that this recent outbreak is the virulent H5N1 strain of the disease. Dr Yeo said: “Going by the pathogenicity of the virus i.e. how quickly it caused disease and killed, the finding confirms what we suspected, that it is indeed the H5N1 type. “This means we have to be more vigilant in monitoring our poultry industry and other bird related activities for future outbreaks and put in place mechanisms to limit any infections. ”Those most at risk are those who work, or are in regular contact, with poultry but even then bird-to-human transmission is still a very rare event.” The source of the outbreak is still unknown. Dr Yeo said: “At this stage we don’t know how the bird flu got here. “Migratory birds over-wintering in the UK could be one possible source. As the infected farm’s poultry is free range, it is possible that birds could have come into contact with wild birds.”