OIE: Low pathogenic avian influenza (poultry), Korea (Rep. of)

Information received on 28/12/2009 from Dr Kiyoon Chang, CVO & Director, Labelling, Quarantine and Inspection Division, Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Forestry (MIFAFF), Gyeonggi -Do, Korea (Rep. of)

Summary

Report type	Immediate notification
Start date	07/12/2009
Date of first confirmation of the event	25/12/2009
Report date	28/12/2009
Date submitted to OIE	28/12/2009
Reason for notification	Reoccurrence of a listed disease
Date of previous occurrence	31/12/2008
Manifestation of disease	Sub-clinical infection
Causal agent	Low pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype	H5N2
Nature of diagnosis	Laboratory (advanced)
This event pertains to	a defined zone within the country

New outbreaks

Summary of outbreaks

Total outbreaks: 1

Location(s)

CH´UNGCH´ONG-NAMDO (Gobuk-myeon, Seo-san city)

Total animals affected

Species	Susceptible	Cases	Deaths	Destroyed	Slaughtered
Birds	26800	40	0	26800	0

Outbreak statistics

Species	Apparent morbidity rate	Apparent mortality rate	Apparent case fatality rate	Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds	0.15%	0.00%	0.00%	100.00%

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter

Epidemiology

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

Unknown or inconclusive

Epidemiological comments

As part of the yearly surveillance programme, a member of the Livestock Health Control Association collected samples from a duck raising farm in Seo-san city and requested the test for avian influenza to the Chungchong-namdo Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) on 7 December 2009.
After it was positive by haemagglutination test, the sample was sent to the National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS) on 22 December. In the course of the confirmatory test, the isolated virus was confirmed as H5 avian influenza virus on 24 December and finally confirmed as low pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N2) by gene sequencing.
26,800 ducks raised in the affected farm were culled and 176,000 eggs kept in the farm were destroyed. The whole procedure for burial and burning was completed on 26 December. Traceback investigation of epidemiologically related farms and enhanced surveillance on neighbouring farms are underway.

Note by the OIE Animal Health Information Department: H5 and H7 avian influenza in its low pathogenic form in poultry is a notifiable disease as per Chapter 10.4. on avian influenza of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code (2009).

Control measures

Measures applied	Stamping out Quarantine Screening Disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s) Vaccination prohibited No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied	Zoning

Diagnostic test results

Laboratory name and type

National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service (NVRQS) (National laboratory)

Tests and results

Species	Test	Test date	Result
Birds	gene sequencing	25/12/2009	Positive
Birds	real-time PCR	25/12/2009	Positive

Future Reporting

The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.