OIE: Highly pathogenic avian influenza, Kuwait

Information received on 22/01/2017 from Mrs. Hanadi Ghuloom Abdul Rahman Mohammad, Deputy Director General for Animal Health, Animal Health Department, Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs & Fish Resources, Safat, Kuwait

Summary

Report type	Immediate notification
Date of start of the event	12/12/2016
Date of confirmation of the event	20/01/2017
Report date	22/01/2017
Date submitted to OIE	23/01/2017
Reason for notification	New strain of a listed disease in the country
Causal agent	Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype	H5N8
Nature of diagnosis	Clinical, Laboratory (basic), Laboratory (advanced), Necropsy
This event pertains to	the whole country

New outbreaks

Summary of outbreaks

Total outbreaks: 1

Outbreak Location

AL JAHRAH ( Sulaibiyah, Sulaibiyah, Al Jahrah )

Total animals affected

Species	Susceptible	Cases	Deaths	Destroyed	Slaughtered
Birds	285	200	144	141	0

Outbreak statistics

Species	Apparent morbidity rate	Apparent mortality rate	Apparent case fatality rate	Proportion susceptible animals lost*
Birds	70.18%	50.53%	72.00%	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

Suspicious clinical cases as well as dead birds comprising ducks, geese and pheasants were detected for H5 subtype of avian influenza virus in the National Veterinary Laboratory. For further investigation, specimens were submitted to the Animal & Plant Health Agency, OIE Reference Laboratory, UK. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 was confirmed by the molecular sequencing method in the OIE Reference laboratory.
As soon as H5 subtype was detected in the national laboratory, sick and contact birds kept in the affected premises were culled. Carcasses were deeply buried by applying appropriate disinfection procedures. Active clinical and serological surveillance were enhanced in surrounding areas of the affected premises. New cases or new outbreaks if any will be updated in the follow up reports.

Control measures

Measures applied	Movement control inside the country Screening Disinfection / Disinfestation Quarantine Surveillance outside containment and/or protection zone Stamping out Official destruction of animal products Official disposal of carcasses, by-products and waste Surveillance within containment and/or protection zone Control of wildlife reservoirs Vaccination prohibited No treatment of affected animals
Measures to be applied	No other measures

Diagnostic test results

Laboratory name and type

Central Veterinary & Research Laboratory ( National laboratory )

Tests and results

Species	Test	Test date	Result
Birds	reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)	22/12/2016	Positive

Laboratory name and type

Animal & Plant Health Agency, United Kingdom ( OIE Reference Laboratory )

Tests and results

Species

Test