A big threat looms as bird flu spreads to West Europe
The virus surfacing in Africa can prove catastrophic, by GAURI LAKHANPAL
Posted online: Saturday, February 18, 2006 at 0000 hours IST

Avian influenza is no longer a largely Asian virus. It has struck in the heart of Western Europe and there is no saying where it will spread from there. The discovery of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain in wild swans in Greece and Italy earlier this week marks the virus’ arrival in the western world. The H5N1 strain has already killed over 90 people in Asia over the last three years, and subsequently spread to Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia last year. The last few months have seen the deadly virus afflict flocks of wild migratory birds in Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria, and even as far as Nigeria.

There have been no human casualties outside of Asia. Individuals in non-Asian affected countries have reported flu-like symptoms but no cases have been confirmed. However, the virus obviously does have the ability to transmit itself from poultry to humans. Fears of such a transmission have seen chicken sales plunge 95% in Greece and over 50% in Italy over the last week. While Turkey has culled over 300,000 birds to protect the disease from spreading further, other countries have been slower to implement any such measures that would threaten the EU’s $24 billion poultry and egg industry.

From Europe’s perspective, the outbreak among a flock of chickens in Nigeria is much dreaded news. This is the first time the virus has been reported in Africa and the continent is ill-prepared to contain it. The timing of the outbreak in Africa, a few months before these birds start migrating northward to Europe, could be catastrophic. Furthermore, even though the outbreak took place on a commercial poultry farm the virus may have been percolating for months in backyard flocks. And according to reports, despite the health ministry’s efforts to quarantine and disinfect farms, apparently basic safety measures are being ignored. Carcasses are being burned in the open, letting infectious feathers and dander spread downwind. The farm workers doing the culling have no protective gear and villagers are still entering the property to draw well water. [my emphasis]