Patna-Docs on alert over avian deaths #H5N1

Docs on alert over avian deaths

By Our Correspondent | www.telegraphindia.com – Fri, Dec 23, 2011

 

Patna, Dec. 22: The State Health Society, Bihar, has issued an advisory to civil surgeons to keep a tab on unusual deaths of birds in their respective districts following the outbreak of avian influenza in Jharkhand.

According to sources in the society, the step has been taken as hundreds of crows have died in Jharkhand because of avian influenza since November.

"The crows first started dying mysteriously in Jam-shedpur district. This was followed by deaths in Ranchi, Bokaro, Khunti, Sahebganj and other districts of Jharkhand. We have asked civil surgeons to be alert and keep an eye on any such incident in our state. Letters have been issued to them and we are getting updates on a daily basis," a senior official of the society said today.

"The situation is alarming in Jharkhand. Samples of dead crows from Jharkhand sent to Bhopal for laboratory tests were found infected with strains of H5N1 virus. This confirmed outbreak of avian influenza in Jharkhand," the official added.

Patna civil surgeon Dr Lakhendra Prasad said he has asked all primary health centres and other hospitals in the district to maintain a daily record of any unusual bird death.

"All veterinary hospitals have been asked to send details of bird deaths on a daily basis. So far, no unusual incident has been reported from any part of Patna district," Prasad said.

According to sources, avian influenza A (H5N1) ' commonly called bird flu ' is caused by a virus sub-type that occurs mainly in birds. The disease is contagious among birds and can be fatal.

There have been instances of human beings getting infected with the virus.

"In most of the cases, people having direct or close contact with H5N1-infected poultry or H5N1-contaminated surfaces contracted the disease. The H5N1 strain of bird flu is regarded highly pathogenic and can also cause disease and death in humans. However, most victims contract the disease through close contact with affected birds," said a veterinary doctor.

Last month, teams from the Bareilly and Bhopal wings of Indian Veterinary Research Institute had collected samples of dead scavengers from Jamshedpur.

In their reports to the Jharkhand animal husbandry department and the East Singhbhum district surveillance office, the teams had hinted at possible human affliction.  http://in.news.yahoo.com/docs-alert-over-avian-deaths-000000806.html