An overview of Bird flu

1. Dr. Hemant Gupta
M.V.Sc. (Vet. Pathology)
Bird Flu ( Avian Influenza)

2. Contents
❑ Bird Flu (Avian Influenza) ?
❑ Etiology & Transmission
❑ Clinical signs & PM Lesions
❑ Diagnosis & Treatment
❑ History & Past outbreaks
❑ Prevention, Control & Containment

3. Bird Flu ?
 Also known as Avian Influenza, Fowl Plague.
 OIE List A disease.

4. Etiology
• Influenza Virus type A
• Family: Orthomyxoviridae
• ss RNA Virus
• Subtypes based on Surface Proteins:
➢ Haemagglutinin (HA) 16
➢ Neuraminidase (NA) 9
• HPAI (Highly Pathogenic): H5N1, H5N8
• LPAI (Low Pathogenic): H9N2

5. Influenza Virus Type A

6. Host Range
❑ Domestic Chicken
❑ Turkey, Ducks, Goose
❑ Migratory water fowls
❑ All mammals Pig, Horse, Humans etc
❑ Cattle, buffaloes are less susceptible/resistant.

7. Transmission
Migratory water Birds

8. Great Cormorant
Black headed Gull
Bar headed Goose

12. Clinical Signs: HPAI (H5N1)
1) Unexplained Mass Mortality: up to 90-100 %

13. 2) Cyanotic Comb & Wattle

14. 3) Cyanotic Shanks & Feet

15. 4) Drop in Egg Production

17. PM Lesions
❑ Haemorrhagic Trachea

18. Bloody Cloaca

19. Haemorrhagic Crop

20. Petechiae on Heart

21. Petechiae on
Proventricular
glands
Bloody Caeca &
Petechiae on
Mesentery

22. Diagnosis
 Unexplained High Mortality, Clinical Signs & PM
Findings.
 Confirmatory Diagnosis:
➢ HSADL, Bhopal
➢ NIV, Pune.

23. Treatment
 Treatment in Birds & animals not recommended.
 For Humans
✓ Oseltamivir (Tamiflu)
✓ Relenza (Zanamivir)

24. History
❑ First reported in Italy in 1878
❑ Fowl Plague in USA in 1924 & 1929.
❑ 1955 discovered FP virus is Influenza type A
❑ Human H3N2 reported “Hong Kong Flu” in 1997.
❑ In India 2 human deaths in Haryana & Karnataka till
9 March 2023

27. Outbreaks in Indian Poultry
❑ First detected on 19 Feb 2006 in Navapur village, Nandurbar
district, Maharashtra.
❑ Suddenly 50000 Chicken died.
❑ 2.53 Lakhs birds and 5.87 Lakhs eggs destroyed within 5 days.
❑ Blood samples of around 200 people sent to NIV, Pune but none
found positive for H5N1.

28. 19 Feb 2006 MH/Guj Outbreak

29. ❑ Till 2017 a total of 28 Bird flu outbreaks reported in
India.
❑ 72.46 Lakhs of birds culled.
❑ Rs 24.32 Crores paid to farmers as compensation by
GOI.
❑ Total monetary loss Rs 5000 Crores (approx.)

30. H5N1 Outbreaks 2006-2012

31. District wise H5N1 Outbreaks 2006-2012

32. Prevention, Control & Containment of Bird Flu

34. ❑ 0-1 km radius = Infected zone
❑ 1-5 km radius = Quarantine zone
❑ 5-10 km radius = Surveillance zone

35. Sero Surveillance

40. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

42. Depopulation/ Mass Culling

44. Burial

46. Burn

48. Biosecurity/ Disinfection

51. Good News
❑ H5N1 destroys at 70⁰C for 30 min & 100⁰C for 10 min.