http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7091284.stm

Fingers crossed that it's the low pathogenic version of the virus

Oh and guess what they are going to use, " The Slaughter Policy", well there's a surprise.Well Educated,Modern Industrial GREAT BRITAIN, led by First World War Generals.

NO SURPRISE TO ME!!!!!

I'm not even going to say it!!

With only half a dozen or so hens it was not a legal requirement to register with the poultry register so even if DEFRA produced a guide how would it know who to target?  Being on the register all guides have been sent through the post in the past, even if they take space in newspapers not everyone has them so by my reckoning some small keepers will remain ignorant of steps they should be taking.

I've just heard that DEFRA is to announce what strain of virus has been detected on the affected farm this afternoon. But judging by the reported mortality rate, it sounds more like the highly pathogenic strain.

Just to confirm, DEFRA has announced that it is the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. It also said that testing found th evirus to be closely related to that found in outbreaks in Germany and the Czech Republic this summer.

To me, this suggests wild birds are to blame which is bad news for the industry.

 For more, visit http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/11/13/108282/defra-confirms-highly-pathogenic-h5n1-flu-virus-in-turkey-flock.html

Avian Flu,

I cannot see whatever use killing all these Birds is going to do to control this Disease.Firstly as with BTV when the symptoms are apparent the Birds have been infectious for a week.These Birds may have very good immune systems that resist the infection, just what is needed but will not be given the benefit of this oppurtunity in life.The virus apparently mutates every 10,000 infections so as well as being a problem on the one hand it also gives the birds immune system a chance as well.If the Flocks are Vaccinated where is the Virus going to propogate, if some of the wild life does get it does it matter they will either die or obtain immunity.

There has been only 200  Deaths from H5 IN in 2-3 years in perhaps 3-4 Billion people.Spanish Flue killed 18 million in one year. To hold a Hypothesis that the Virus can attach it's self to Human cells is correct but does not include the reaction by the Immune system which is possibly why this Virus has not affected many people.

Yes birds can gain immunity to avian flu and I recall that in the low pathogenic H7N3 case in Norfolk last year, many of the free range birds had recovered.

But the problem with the H5N1 high pathogenic strain is that mortality is very high with 70-90% of birds dying within hours of catching it. Allowing it to take root in the UK could lead to a similar problem as seen with cattle TB with a wildlife reservoir reinfecting flocks, particulary in ducks which dont exhibit the symptoms and remain carriers.

Wild ducks are suspected of having a role in the asian outbreaks.

Richard,

            The point I am trying to make is that is that if we vaccinated the Flocks we would control the Disease in the Country because there are no Birds to Infect,this is the same senario as Newcastle Disease,the MoAg went around killing millions of Birds with this same so called case senario regarding reinfection by Wild life and that the live Vaccine could reinfect unvaccinated Flocks .The Farmers went to Holland and purchased the Vaccine.The Disease was soon under control by Vaccination not Slaughter and we have never had a case since.

 vaccination????

vaccination [with voice rising to shriek] ......

= heresy

Joyce