Suspicion of low pathogenic bird flu (avian influenza) virus in Denmark

As part of the existing Danish surveillance programme against bird flu a single case of expected low pathogenic H5 bird flu virus has been detected in a flock of ducks at a farm in the north western part of Jutland. (Near the town called Skive.)

The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration does not consider this as an outbreak of bird flu – neither in relation to the low pathogenic type nor to the high pathogenic H5N1 type of Avian Influenza. 

The bird is from a herd with 3.500 ducks. Altogether 45 birds have been tested and none of the remaining 44 other birds had antibodies against Avian Influenza. None of the 3.500 ducks show any signs of infection. The case is expected to be the result of a situation where the duck has been in contact with the Bird Flu virus without having developed Bird Flu.

Blood tests from the bird have been submitted to the EU Community Reference Laboratory in United Kingdom in order to carry out further tests. The Danish Institute for Food and Veterinary Research is carrying out furthers tests on 25 killed ducks from the herd in order to inves-tigate whether bird flu virus can be found in these birds.

A final result is expected with 2-3 days. The farmer has been ordered not to move any of his birds before the final result of the test is ready.