Avian Influenza increase of major concern.

Chinese New Year is at the end of January this year. It will be ushered in around the world in the usual fashion. This includes wearing red and huge traditional celebration feasts. Chicken will as always be a big part of these meals.

Many of these meals will not happen in big restaurants, but in family homes and the chickens may have been slaughtered there and then. This is especially true within China, where there are many opportunities for cross infection with live chickens.

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) is particularly concerned this year as this number of cases of Avian Influenza has been increasing in China. With slaughter being done at home the chance of people contracting the virus is probably higher at this time of the year than at any other.

Many would recognise H5N1as Avian “Flu” but there are other species, including H7N9, that are also an issue, although not as pathogenic.

It seems that the increase in cases coincides with the cooler months and as China is now in winter, it is expected that the increase will only continue and possibly become an issue for neighbouring countries.

FAO Chief Veterinary Officer, Juan Lubroth said; “Chinese authorities are enforcing important measures to reduce the risk of human exposure to the A(H7N9) virus. This includes temporary closure of live bird markets, regular market rest days, improved hygiene in markets, heightened and ongoing surveillance in poultry and live bird market environment, and control of poultry movements.”

The dilemma faced by authorities is that there is strong evidence of bird to human transmission and the birds show no clinical signs.

Australia had a “bird flu” event late in 2013, which resulted in a prediction of an egg shortage in New South Wales (NSW) up to Christmas. Two poultry farms in NSW were found to have avian influenza infected birds and were quarantined. The Outbreak was determined to be eradicated with an announcement made on 10 January 2014, and restrictions were lifted on the properties.

This article has been written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.