Bird Flu Situation In Nepal & Diagnosis Services Available in Central Animal

Disease Investigation Laboratory

Dr.Kedar Karki
Influenza is an acute contagious viral disease which occurs in both man and lower
animals dates back centuries and even in Hippocrates' era. It is known by several
names like influenza (man), swine influenza (pig), equine (horse) or avian influenza
(birds)in various species of animals and man. Human influenza was found to be
caused by virus in England in 1933, although it was first identified in pig three
`years earlier. The current interest of the bird flu or avian influenza or fowl plague
was shown to be caused by a virus in the early 1955. From 1997 to 2004, several
cases of bird flu have been reported in Hong Kong, China, Belgium, Netherlands,
Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan, Indonesia and recently in Thailand and Pakistan leading
to death of several people and slaughter of Millions of chickens. So far no case has
been reported in India.
The causative agent:
The influenza Virus belongs to group which is a RNA virus and is of three types A, B,
and C on the basis of nucleoprotein (NP) and matrix protein (M) present in the core
of the virion. Out of these three, the only type A is widely distributed in population
and has zoonotic importance. The virus is of 100-120 nm in diameter and enclosed in
an envelope which contains protein spike haemagglutinin (H) and the enzyme
neuraminidase (N). The H and N peplomer determines sub type specific antigenicity
and broadly grouped as H1, H2, H3, ... and N1, N2, N3,.... An abrupt or major
change in the composition of H and N antigens with in a group is called antigenic
'shift' where as antigenic 'drift' is the minor change even a change in a single amino
acid of the H antigen. The single stranded RNA genome occurs as eight separate
molecules, most of which code for a single protein. Because of segmented genome,
genetic reassortment can occur in cells infected with two different strains of
influenza A virus. This reassortment occurs in nature and is an important source of
genetic variability and thus epidemics and epizootics. The strains of type A
influenza virus are classified on the basis of animal origin, the place of origin;
strain number and year of isolation viz. A/chick/Germany? N/49 (H10N7). The
change of strains which involves mutated 'hot' spots in protein moiety are
responsible for by-passing immunological defences and infection.
Animals Susceptible: Influenza virus affects human and a wide varieties of animals
like swine, equine, avain species such as chickens, turkey, duck, quail and wild
birds. The virus also causes disease in cattle and other domestic ruminants. Wild
mammals such as ferrets, mink, mice, gibbons, baboons and monkeys are also
susceptible to infection. The disease has also been reported from aquatic animals
such as whales are seals.

Mode of Transmission: Bird flu spreads through nasal, ' respirtory and other
secretions and faucal excretions of infected bird. Uncooked or half cooked poultry
products such as chicken and eggs may spread the disease. Person to person
transmission generally does not occur but may occur through the respiratory route
and close human contact such as crowds, enclosed places etc. Several influenza A
strains can coexist in the same population and one individual can be simultaneously
affected with two strains and reassortment of the two strains form newer strain
which may be more virulent than previous one and spread the disease.

Direct transfers of a swine strain and an avian strain from animals to man, with
resultant clinical illness, have been demonstrated, but such transmissions have been
observed very rarely. Some strains of human influenza virus can easily infect pig
under natural condition The disease in man affects chiefly and the swine virus can
infect man. In the respiratory system resulting chill, 1976, the soldier of new Jersey
infected fever, earache, myalgia, anorexia, believed to be fsneezing, nasal
obstruction, sore throat and cough. Pnemonic complications like bronchitis,
pneumonia and nervous, cardiac signs, conjunctivitis, diarrhoea and vomiting may
also be seen. with swine strain were modified form of the virus of the 1918
pandemic throughout the world. Avian strain can infect mammals in nature and thus
provide a bridge between the vast reservoir of avian infections and man. Wild
migratory birds may spread the disease from one place to other. The isolation of the
virus from duck ponds revealed that the water may also be a possible route of
transmission. Influenza virus isolated from aquatic animals such as wheals and seals,
was found antigenically similar to that of classical fowl plague virus. Workers
associated with the seals were infected with the disease. These all provide the
instance of avian strain of virus causing disease in mammals including man.

Incubation Period : 1-3 days

Clinical Features: The disease in man affects chiefly the respiratory system
resulting chill, fever, headache, myalgia, anorexia, sneezing, nasal obstruction, sore
throat and cough. Pnemonic complications like bronchitis, pneumonia and nervous,
cardiac signs, conjunctivitis, diarrhoea and vomiting may also be seen. In animals
the. symptoms are almost similar to man. The disease spreads rapidly in swine herd.
In horses, along with respiratory problems strangles, conjunctivitis and other
complications have been found. Infected birds manifest cough, sneezing, sinusitis,
lacrimation, oedema of head and neck and sometimes diarrohea and central
nervous system involvement. In wild birds and fowls the influenza virus is
principally an intestinal infection rather than respiratory one and sometimes goes
unnoticed and they are the reservoir of the virus. Acute haemorrhagic pneumonia
is the post mortem finding in seals.
Diagnosis:
Clinical diagnosis possible due to variability of signs and the resemblance with
other respiratory diseases. Serological tests like HA, HI, CFT, AGPT and ELISA may
be done but are not much useful because of their frequent infections
with a multiplicity of serotypes. Virus isolation is essential to establish the
cause of an outbreak. The isolation can be done in developing chick embryo and
cell culture in chick embryo fibroblast and canine kidney cell line. Rapid test is
also available in CVL.
Prevention and Control:
1. The major strategy is to prevent the introduction of the virus to the population
by strict monitoring of border area and restriction of import for birds and
products.

2. The access of wild birds to poultry farms should be prevented:

3. Proper housing and ventilation are essential to safeguard against rapid

transmission of virus.

4. Strict hygienic measures, which include cleaning, disinfection, controlled

movement of man and animals, must be introduced.

5. Proper nutrition of birds to prevent stress and use of antibiotics in feeds/ water
should be used to check secondary bacterial infection.

6. Live attenuated and inactivated influenza vaccines are available and use several
times. But the problems in selecting the appropriate vaccine strain due to diversity
of sero types and risk of reassortment with wild viruses resulted failure of
vaccination. There has been report about drugs effective but it is still in Question
mark.

Since 2003 C.V.L is monitoring all suspected area ,even In Print media there was
flashing news about Pegion were died due to Bird flu C.V.L. Team visited the site
and laboratory examination proved that was not the cause.