Wild Bird Influenza Survey: Calling Canadians to Help Protect Farmed Birds and Flocks

Above is a map of the Avian Flu Human World Summary. Image by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). http://www.cdc.gov/flu/pdf/avianflu/avian-flu-human-world-summary.pdf

Wild Bird Influenza Survey is part of Canada’s avian influenza prevention and preparedness strategy.

To provide baseline information about the strains and distribution of influenza viruses in Canadian wild ducks and to respond to the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) type H5N1 in Asia, Europe, and Africa, Canada’s Interagency Wild Bird Influenza Survey was initiated in July 2005.

E. Jane Parmley, Nathalie Bastien, […], and Frederick A. Leighton

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2600159/

Here are some Avian influenza facts from the Government of Manitoba:

Wild birds, particularly ducks and geese, have carried influenza viruses for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years.
Wild birds may carry avian influenza without any signs of disease. These birds can spread the disease to other birds, including domestic poultry.
Although avian influenza in humans is rare, humans in Asia and Europe have become ill with avian influenza.
There has been little, if any human-to-human transmission of the disease. Most people have become ill through direct, or close, contact with infected birds.
Scientists are monitoring avian influenza to detect any changes that could potentially cause a pandemic. It is not known if the next pandemic would come from this avian influenza or another source.
Fully cooking domestic and wild poultry products, such as chicken, turkey, ducks, geese and eggs, will kill harmful viruses, including the avian influenza virus.

This video presents

News coverage from Asia and Europe has reported extensively on the H5N1 influenza virus that has infected both wild and domestic birds. In some cases, it has also spread from infected birds to people causing severe illness or death. For domestic poultry, this form of H5N1 is considered a highly pathogenic virus, meaning it is very contagious and deadly for birds. It is extremely rare for people to get avian influenza. Although some people with very close contact with birds have contracted the virus, the disease has not spread easily from person to person, if at all.

http://www.gov.mb.ca/influenza/avian/overview.html

Canadians can help to guard Canada’s farmed birds and flocks against the introduction of disease by reporting sightings of dead wild birds to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) at 1-866-544-4744.

While the risk of infection with avian influenza is extremely low, members of the public should avoid handling dead birds.

NEWS RELEASE

Wild bird survey is underway

Canada is tracking influenza viruses circulating in its wild bird population

November 5, 2014 – Ottawa, Ontario – Canadian Food Inspection Agency

The Government of Canada is asking Canadians for help to guard Canada’s farmed birds and flocks against the introduction of disease.

Every year live and dead wild birds are tested as part of the Wild Bird Influenza Survey. The survey, in its tenth year, is an important part of Canada’s avian influenza prevention and preparedness strategy.

Testing live wild birds enables scientists to identify and watch for changes in viruses circulating in the wild bird population. Testing dead wild birds allows scientists to monitor for the highly pathogenic strains of the influenza virus.

Canadians can help by reporting sightings of dead wild birds to the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC) at 1-866-544-4744. While the risk of infection with avian influenza is extremely low, members of the public should avoid handling dead birds.

Quick facts

The Inter-Agency Wild Bird Influenza Survey is coordinated by the CWHC on behalf of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Environment Canada, as well as provincial and territorial government partners.
The survey is part of a global effort to detect and track avian viruses that could negatively impact human health and animal health.
If a virus of concern is detected close to a poultry flock, producers will be alerted and on-farm surveillance will be heightened in the area.
Based on current scientific knowledge, the risk of migratory birds carrying deadly influenza viruses to Canada is low.

Additional links

Communiqué de presse

L’enquête sur l’influenza aviaire chez les oiseaux sauvages est en cours

Le Canada surveille les virus de l’influenza qui circulent au sein de sa population d’oiseaux sauvages

Le 5 novembre 2014 – Ottawa (Ontario) – L’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments

Le gouvernement du Canada demande aux Canadiens de l’aider à protéger les oiseaux et les troupeaux d’élevage du Canada contre l’introduction de la maladie.

Chaque année, des oiseaux sauvages vivants et morts sont analysés dans le cadre de l’enquête sur l’influenza aviaire chez les oiseaux sauvages. Cette enquête, qui en est à sa dixième édition, est un volet important de la stratégie canadienne en matière de prévention et de préparation relatives à l’influenza aviaire.

L’analyse d’oiseaux sauvages vivants permet aux scientifiques de repérer les virus qui circulent chez les oiseaux sauvages et de surveiller l’évolution de ces virus. L’analyse d’oiseaux sauvages morts leur permet de surveiller les souches hautement pathogènes du virus de l’influenza.

Les Canadiens peuvent contribuer à l’enquête en signalant les oiseaux sauvages morts qu’ils repèrent au Réseau canadien de la santé de la faune (RCSF) au 1-866-544-4744. Bien que le risque d’infection par le virus de l’influenza aviaire soit très faible, les membres du public devraient éviter de manipuler des oiseaux sauvages morts.

Faits en bref

L’enquête interorganismes sur l’influenza aviaire chez les oiseaux sauvages est coordonnée par le RCSF pour le compte de l’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments, de l’Agence de la santé publique du Canada, d’Environnement Canada et de partenaires des gouvernements provinciaux et territoriaux.
L’enquête fait partie des efforts déployés à l’échelle mondiale en vue de dépister et de surveiller les virus de l’influenza aviaire qui pourraient avoir des répercussions néfastes sur la santé humaine et la santé animale.
Si la présence d’un virus préoccupant est détectée à proximité d’un troupeau de volailles, on alertera les producteurs et l’on accroîtra la surveillance à la ferme dans la région.
Selon les connaissances scientifiques actuelles, il est peu probable que des oiseaux migrateurs transportent des virus mortels de l’influenza au Canada.