HOUSE OF THE WEEK
Warm single-storey house in Thingangyun
UNCOMPLICATED suburban living sums up this single-level house in Thingangyun township. The house is not overly spacious but there is a nice garden and lawn as compensation. more
Avian influenza detected in Mayangone poultry farm
(Volume 26, No. 510)
OFFICIALS were last week monitoring Yangon markets and poultry farms for signs of avian influenza after an outbreak of the disease was detected at a poultry farm in Mayangone township.
The outbreak was the first confirmed case of H5N1 influenza in Myanmar since the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) declared the country avian flu-free in April 2008.
“We are mainly monitoring the live bird market,” said Dr Aung Gyi, the deputy general manager of the Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department.
“I want to warn breeders about the lack of symptoms [in the most recent case]. This time we found H5N1 influenza occurring in chickens that showed no signs of decreased feeding or egg production,” Dr Aung Gyi said.
The Livestock Breeding and Veterinary Department, under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, tested chickens at a farm in Mayangone’s No 5 ward after several died in suspicious circumstances. Tests showed the chickens had died from Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) after being infected with H5N1 influenza, Dr Aung Gyi said.
“Since the end of January, the farm had some cases of chickens dying. We tested the dead chickens in two ways – rapid test and polymerase chain reaction test – at our enhanced laboratory in Insein township and these tests confirmed that the deaths were caused by H5N1,” Dr Aung Gyi said.
About 2500 layers were subsequently destroyed by authorities as a precautionary measure. “We disposed of all the chicken and ducks at the farm and within a one-kilometre radius of the affected area and disinfected everything. Now we are taking follow-up measures, such as monitoring other chicken farms in Yangon,” he said.
Dr Aung Gyi said the outbreak has been reported to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and surveillance, epidemiology, bio security and diagnosis teams are working to ensure there are no further outbreaks.
He said people handling poultry could take steps to minimise the chances of the outbreak spreading.
“Some people are still carrying chickens upside down while they are riding a bicycle or trishaw – this is unsafe and makes it easier for the virus to spread, whether the chickens are dead or alive.
“Breeders and butchers should wear masks while they are in the farm or a slaughterhouse. Some people are ashamed to wear face masks but we need to start making it a habit.”
Breeders should inform the department if there are any suspicious chicken deaths at their farms and not to try to track down the source of the infection themselves. Some other diseases can appear similar to HPAI and it is difficult to determine the exact course of death without laboratory testing.
The department is also implementing a computerised database system for monitoring poultry farms with the collaboration of database specialist and epidemiologist Dr Chris Bartel from the FAO. The FAO has provided GPS, computers and software and the department is now undertaking a survey of the animal population and population density across the country.
