title: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.
abstract: We conducted phylogenetic and epidemiologic analyses to determine sources of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV), subtype H5N1, in poultry holdings in 2007 in Germany, and a suspected incursion of HPAIV into the food chain through contaminated deep-frozen duck carcasses. In summer 2007, HPAIV (H5N1) outbreaks in 3 poultry holdings in Germany were temporally, spatially, and phylogenetically linked to outbreaks in wild aquatic birds. Detection of HPAIV (H5N1) in frozen duck carcass samples of retained slaughter batches of 1 farm indicated that silent infection had occurred for some time before the incidental detection. Phylogenetic analysis established a direct epidemiologic link between HPAIV isolated from duck meat and strains isolated from 3 further outbreaks in December 2007 in backyard chickens that had access to uncooked offal from commercial deep-frozen duck carcasses. Measures that will prevent such undetected introduction of HPAIV (H5N1) into the food chain are urgently required.
authors.affiliation: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Isle of Riems, Germany.
authors.forename: Timm C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Teuffert
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Starick
authors.forename: Jörn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gethmann
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grund
authors.forename: Sasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fereidouni
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Durban
authors.forename: Karl Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Bogner
authors.forename: Antonie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neubauer-Juric
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Repper
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hlinak
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nöckler
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smietanka
authors.forename: Zenon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Minta
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Globig
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Mettenleiter
authors.forename: Franz J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Conraths
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beer
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004372:Ducks / Q000821:virology*; D005615:Freezing; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques / Q000379:methods; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D008460:Meat / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011200:Poultry / Q000821:virology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral