Avian influenza in South Africa

(Date of previous outbreak of avian influenza in South Africa reported to the OIE: August 2005).

Information received on 3 July 2006 from Dr Botlhe Modisane, Senior Manager of Animal Health, National Department of Agriculture, Pretoria:

Report date: 3 July 2006.

Reason for immediate notification: re-occurrence of a listed disease or infection in a country or zone/compartment following a report declaring the outbreak(s) ended.

Identification of agent: highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N2.

Date of first confirmation of the event: 29 June 2006.

Date of start of the event: 19 June 2006.

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been reported at Riversdale in Western Cape province in an ostrich rearing farm (58 ostriches) aged 4 months.

The diagnosis has been established on 1 July 2006 by the ARC(1) Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute by RT-PCR(2) and sequence analysis.

Preliminary surveillance indicates that the outbreak is probably limited to the single farm (8 cases) in which the disease was detected. The farm has been put under quarantine (10-km-radius zone) and all 58 ostriches have been destroyed on 1 July 2006. Culling of all other poultry in the index farm was completed on 3 July 2006.

Source of outbreak or origin of infection: unknown or inconclusive.

Other control measures undertaken:

- screening;

- disinfection.

(1) ARC: Agricultural Research Council

(2) RT-PCR: reverse transcriptase ?polymerase chain reaction