title: Field and laboratory findings of the first incursion of the Asian H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Africa.
abstract: In mid-January 2006 an outbreak of avian influenza in domestic birds was recorded in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The virus responsible for the outbreak was characterized as a highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (A/chicken/Nigeria/641/06), belonging to the Qinghai lineage. The index case occurred on a farm containing mixed avian species including free-range birds. Clinical signs and mortality were observed in chickens, geese and ostriches. The present paper describes the clinical, pathological and virological findings of this outbreak.
authors.affiliation: OIE, FAO and National Reference Laboratory for Newcastle Disease and Avian Influenza, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10, Padova, Legnaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Benedictis
authors.forename: Tony Manuel
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Joannis
authors.forename: Lami Hannatu
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Lombin
authors.forename: Ismaila
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shittu
authors.forename: Maria Serena
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Beato
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rebonato
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cattoli
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Capua
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny