Surveillance 2007

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was not reported in Denmark in 2007. Throughout the year, Denmark was free of notifiable avian influenzav according to Article 2.7.12.3 of the Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

Surveillance programme in poultry and game birds for restocking
The surveillance programme for avian influenza in poultry and game birds for restocking programme continued without changes in 2007. All commercial holdings in the target group having more than 100 animals were included in the programme and tested once or more frequently.

Breeder flocks were tested once a year, pullets before release to egg production, outdoors layers four times a year and outdoor slaughter poultry before slaughter. In addition, turkeys were tested before slaughter. In risk areas, breeder flocks and indoor layers were tested twice a year. Risk areas were defined as areas 3 km from the coastal line and around large lakes. Herds of game birds for restocking were tested four times a year during the season from February to August. Further, when poultry and game birds were traded, they had to be accompanied by a certificate stating that the herd had been tested within the preceding three months, if poultry, and two months, if game birds. The surveillance programme was mainly based on serology. PCR testing was used only for ducklings and game bird chicks.

Surveillance programme in wild birds
The surveillance programme for avian influenza in wild birds consisted of passive surveillance of wild birds found sick or dead and active surveillance of live birds in waterfowl reservoirs and along migratory flyways, birds living in proximity to domestic poultry and surveillance of hunted game birds.

In the passive surveillance group, 212 dead wild birds were tested. All samples were negative for HPAI H5N1. Only one bird was found positive for other low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) than H5 or H7.

In the active surveillance group, 4,054 live wild birds were tested. Of these, 414 birds were living in proximity to domestic poultry and 3,640 birds were from ‘high risk’  species. Finally, 758 hunted game birds, ducks and pheasants were tested. A total of 5,998 samples were subjected to a PCR analysis. All samples were negative for HPAI H5N1. The following low pathogenic avian influenza virus subtypes were isolated: H3N6 (one sample), H3N8 (two samples), H4N6 (two samples), H6N1 (one sample), H6N2 (one sample), H10N3 (one sample), H11N2 (two samples), H11N9 (one sample) and H14N5 (one sample). By PCR, avian influenza virus (AIV) was detected in 48 samples, eight of which were LPAI H5 and two were LPAI H7.