Date: Wed 27 Oct 2004
From: OIE Animal Health Information Department <information.dept@oie.int>


2 avian influenza infected birds of prey from Thailand seized at
Brussels airport, Belgium
-------------------------
Translation of information received at the OIE Headquarters on 25 Oct
2004 from Dr. Luc Lengele, Chief Veterinary Officer, Animal Health
and Animal Products Department, Federal State Service for Public
Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Brussels:

Date of the report: 25 Oct 2004.

On 18 Oct 2004, customs officials at Brussels airport (Zaventem)
prevented 2 birds of prey from Thailand being introduced into
Belgium. A passenger had concealed 2 mountain hawk eagles (_Spizaetus
nipalensis_) in his luggage. The customs officials were acting within
the framework of strengthened controls on passenger traffic from
South-East Asia, introduced at the beginning of 2004 following the
spread of the avian influenza epidemic, which has also claimed
victims among the human population. Throughout this period, the
European Union has strictly prohibited the importation of birds from
South-East Asian countries.

The raptors were taken to the airport customs inspection center
(PIF), where they were examined by an official veterinarian of the
Federal Agency for Food Chain Safety (AFSCA), which is the competent
authority for controlling live animals imports. The 2 birds did not
show any clinical signs. In view of the illegal nature of the
importation, they were euthanized and transferred to CERVA, the
Belgian diagnostic and reference laboratory for avian influenza, for
further tests.

The 1st results were obtained on 22 Oct 2004. The 2 birds were found
to be positive for avian influenza virus. The strain detected was
type H5N1, identical to the strain circulating in South-East Asia.

On receipt of the test results, the AFSCA immediately traced all the
other consignments of birds that had passed through the airport PIF
since 18 Oct 2004.

2 parrots that were being kept on the same premises as the 2 raptors
were also euthanized in order to conduct further tests.

In addition, 2 consignments of birds from Africa were controlled at
the PIF and placed under official surveillance in quarantine centers
in Belgium.

In addition, the AFSCA informed the authorities in the Netherlands
and Russia that, in the meantime, 6 other consignments of live birds
from Africa had already been shipped to quarantine centers in these
countries.

In view of the fact that the 2 infected birds did not leave
accredited quarantine centers, this diagnosis has no effect on the
sanitary status of the Belgian poultry population.

Persons who may have been in direct or indirect contact with these
birds have been traced to allow the necessary precautionary measures
to be taken. The persons involved include the passengers on EVA
Airways flight No. BR0061 from Bangkok (Thailand) to Vienna
(Austria), which arrived at Vienna on 18 Oct 2004 at 5.30 a.m., and
on Austrian Airlines flight No. OS351 from Vienna to Brussels
(Belgium), which arrived in Brussels on 18 Oct 2004 at 8.50 a.m.

--
OIE Animal Health Information Department
<information.dept@oie.int>