OIE: Pandemic influenza H1N1 (2009), Japan

Information received on 20/01/2010 from Dr Toshiro Kawashima, CVO, Animal Health Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo , Japan

Summary

Report type Immediate notification
Start date 12/01/2010
Date of first confirmation of the event 12/01/2010
Report date 20/01/2010
Date submitted to OIE 20/01/2010
Reason for notification Emerging disease
Morbidity 6.7 %
Mortality 0 %
Zoonotic impact It affects also humans
Causal agent Pandemic influenza H1N1 (2009)

New outbreaks

Summary of outbreaks Total outbreaks: 1
Location(s)
  • YAMAGATA (Shonai area)
Total animals affected
Species Susceptible Cases Deaths Destroyed Slaughtered
Swine 2445 164 0 0 0
Outbreak statistics
Species Apparent morbidity rate Apparent mortality rate Apparent case fatality rate Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Swine 6.71% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

* 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 A worker found the animals, which showed poor appetite, fever and cough in the farm occasionally, and reported them to the Livestock Hygiene Service Centre in Yamagata prefecture on 12 January 2010.
Ten animals which showed clinical signs were sampled.
5 of 10 samples were found to be influenza A positive by rapid test on 12 January 2010 and 7 of 10 samples were influenza A positive by PCR on 13 January 2010.
There were some workers who had been infected with influenza A virus before the outbreak.
On 20 January 2010, the virus strains detected from 4 samples were confirmed as pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 by the National Institute of Animal Health (NIAH).
The affected farm is being under voluntary movement restraint.
Epidemiological investigation is continuing.

Control measures

Measures applied
  • Movement control inside the country
  • No vaccination
  • No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied
  • Screening

Diagnostic test results

Laboratory name and type Livestock Hygiene Service Centre, Yamagata prefecture (Local laboratory)
Tests and results
Species Test Test date Result
Swine pathogen isolation on cell culture 17/01/2010 Positive
Swine polymerase chain reaction (PCR) 13/01/2010 Positive
Swine rapid tests 12/01/2010 Positive
Laboratory name and type National Institute of Animal Health (National laboratory)
Tests and results
Species Test Test date Result
Swine gene sequencing 20/01/2010 Positive

Future Reporting

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