[BCNnet] Bird flu - the federal gov't response

[BFisher928 at aol.com]

The press release pasted below may be of interest, in case you haven't seen 
it already.

Regards
Bob Fisher

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2006  Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns,
Secretary of the Interior Gale A. Norton and Secretary of Health and Human
Services Michael Leavitt today moved to further ensure the protection of
people, domestic poultry and wild birds by unveiling an enhanced national
framework for early detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)
in wild migratory birds in the United States.   This readiness plan and
system builds on, significantly expands and unifies ongoing efforts among
federal, state, regional and local wildlife agencies.  Those agencies have
been monitoring and testing for the presence of the highly pathogenic H5N1
virus in migratory birds for several years.  The increased efforts come as
the spring migration of migratory birds is underway and the spread of avian
influenza continues across continents.

Wildlife experts and public health officials have been monitoring the
spread of the highly pathogenic H5N1 since it first appeared in Hong Kong
in 1997.  Since 1998, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) has tested over
12,000 migratory birds in the Alaska flyway and since 2000, USDA has tested
almost 4,000 migratory birds in the Atlantic flyway. All birds in these
flyways have tested negative for the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus of
concern. Since the summer of 2005, the Department of Interior (DOI) has
been working with the State of Alaska to strategically sample migratory
birds in the Pacific flyway.  DOI has already carried out more than 1,700
tests on samples from more than 1,100 migratory birds.  There have been 22
avian influenza isolates identified, but none have been highly pathogenic.

"The Department of Agriculture is working on many fronts, with many
partners to further strengthen our ability to detect and respond to highly
pathogenic strains of avian influenza," said Johanns.  "By intensifying our
monitoring of migratory bird populations, we increase the likelihood of
early detection, which is key to controlling the spread of the virus,
particularly in our domestic poultry. Having said that, it's important for
the public to know two things; a detection of Asian H5N1 in the United
States would not signal the start of a human pandemic; and properly
prepared poultry is safe to eat, because proper cooking kills this virus."

Wildlife biologists, migratory bird specialists, veterinarians and
epidemiologists from the USDADOI and Health and Human Services (HHS), along
with the International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, National
Association of Public Health Veterinarians and the State of Alaska have
developed "An Early Detection System for Asian H5N1 Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza in Wild Migratory Birds -- U.S. Interagency Strategic Plan."

"We do not know for sure what role wild migratory birds play in the
movement of this virus, but  the potential exists for them to carry this
virus to North America, and we have a responsibility to prepare for that
possibility," said Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton. "Working closely
with our state, local and federal partners, we can detect and respond to
disease events involving wild birds and screen birds for highly pathogenic
H5N1 virus. These actions will help us provide an early warning to the
agriculture, public health and wildlife communities if the virus is
detected in migratory birds."

The ability to effectively prevent the spread of highly pathogenic
H5N1into domestic poultry operations is greatly enhanced by being able to
rapidly detect the pathogen if it is introduced into wild migratory birds
in the United States.  The interagency plan outlines five specific
strategies for early detection of the virus in wild migratory birds,
including:

Investigation of disease-outbreak events in wild birds

Expanded monitoring of live wild birds

Monitoring of hunter-killed birds

Use of sentinel animals, such as backyard poultry flocks

Environmental sampling of water and bird feces

Because Alaska is at the crossroads of bird migration flyways,
scientists believe the strain of highly pathogenic H5N1 currently affecting
Southeast Asia would most likely arrive there if it spread to North America
via migratory birds. Thus, the plan recommends a prioritized sampling
system with emphasis in Alaska, elsewhere in the Pacific Flyway and the
Pacific islands, followed by the Central, Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways.
In 2006, USDA and its cooperators plan to collect between 75,000 to 100,000
samples from live and dead wild birds.  They also plan to collect 50,000
samples of water or feces from high-risk waterfowl habitats across the
United States.

The wild bird monitoring plan is part of the Presidents National
Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Preparedness.  President Bush allocated $29
million in his avian influenza supplemental funding package for
implementation of the wild bird monitoring plan.

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt noted that highly pathogenic H5N1 is still
a disease of birds, not people, and that most human cases in other
countries have come from extensive direct contact with infected birds or
their droppings.  He cautioned, however, that scientists are concerned that
the virus could develop the ability to efficiently transmit from person to
person, and "such a development could trigger a worldwide pandemic."

Leavitt said HHS is using a multi-pronged approach, which includes
increased monitoring to spot disease outbreaks at home and abroad;
development of vaccines and vaccine manufacturing capability; stockpiling
of both vaccines and antivirals; planning at the state and local level, and
communications to inform the public.

Noting that the disease could show up in many communities all at the
same time, Leavitt called local preparedness "the foundation of pandemic
readiness" and said: "any community that fails to prepare  with the
expectation that the federal government can offer a lifeline  will be
tragically wrong."  To assist local efforts, HHS is holding planning
summits in all 50 states and providing checklists to local and state
governments, businesses, schools, home health care providers, faith-based
and community organizations and individuals and families.

Historically, wild birds have been natural reservoirs for low pathogenic
avian influenza viruses and often show little or no signs of disease.
Various forms of low pathogenicity avian influenza have existed in the
United States since the early 1900's.  They can cause varying degrees of
illness in birds and have not posed a public health threat. If a virus
mutates or mixes with another avian influenza virus it can become highly
pathogenic, causing higher fatality rates in birds.  The HPAI strain of
H5N1 currently affecting countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and other
geographic areas is highly infectious between birds, but has never been
found in the United States.  Other forms of HPAI have been detected in
domestic poultry three times in this country: in 1924, 1983 and 2004.  The
2004 outbreak was confined to one flock and eradicated.  There were no
human illnesses reported in connection with these outbreaks, however the
highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus has caused human illness and
death in other countries where people have handled or been in close contact
with infected birds.

Additional information about avian flu and security relating to
domestic poultry, wild bird monitoring and research, as well as pandemic
planning nationwide is available at the U.S. governments comprehensive
website for pandemic preparedness at http://www.pandemicflu.gov.  

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