Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) in frozen duck carcasses, Germany, 2007.
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.
Harder
Timm C
TC
Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Isle of Riems, Germany.
Teuffert
Jürgen
J
Starick
Elke
E
Gethmann
Jörn
J
Grund
Christian
C
Fereidouni
Sasan
S
Durban
Markus
M
Bogner
Karl Heinz
KH
Neubauer-Juric
Antonie
A
Repper
Reinhard
R
Hlinak
Andreas
A
Engelhardt
Andreas
A
Nöckler
Axel
A
Smietanka
Krzysztof
K
Minta
Zenon
Z
Kramer
Matthias
M
Globig
Anja
A
Mettenleiter
Thomas C
TC
Conraths
Franz J
FJ
Beer
Martin
M
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
D000914:Antibodies, Viral