AVIAN INFLUENZA

(Fowl Plague, Bird Flu)

HISTORY
1878--- Fowl plague was firstly described
as a serious disease of chickens in
Italy
1901 --- Caused by a filterable agent (virus)
1924-25--- First case in USA
1950-60 ---Fowl plague virus was identified
as Influenza A virus
1994--- Firstly reported in Pakistan
 Avian Influenza
 Avian Influenza (AI) is a contagious /
infectious viral disease which can affect all
species of birds caused by type A influenza
virus
 Infection among domestic or confined birds
is associated with a variety of disease
syndromes:
 Subclinical
 Mild upper respiratory disease

 Reproductive failure (Loss of egg production)

 Severe acute highly fatal generalized disease

 ETIOLOGY
Family: Orthomyxoviridae
Influenza virus
 Three main types;
 Type A (Most virulent group)
 Multiple species ( Birds & Humans)
 Type B ( Common & less virulent than A)
 Humans
 Type C (Different pattern of matrix proteins)
 Humans and swine
Characteristics:
• RNA, enveloped virus and agglutinates chicken RBCs
• Inactivated by--- heat, extremes of pH, dryness, formalin,
dilute acids & lipid solvents e.g detergents & disinfectants
• Viruses are released in oral/nasal secretions & faeces
 CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRUS
 Strain classification is based on surface antigens i.e,
hemagglutinin (HA) & neuraminidase (NA) subtypes
 16 HAs & 9 NAs are reported & they are present in
various combinations in avian isolates (H5N1, H8N4)
making 144 possible virus subtypes
 Cross protection does not occur between subtypes
 Frequency of antigenic variation is high
 It occurs in 2 ways:
• Drift --- minor antigenic changes in HA and/or NA
• Shift --- major antigenic changes in HA and/or NA
 Mutate frequently
 Antigenic drift
 Point mutations accumulated during
virus replication
 Antigenic shift
 Hybrid virus emerges when cell infected
with two different influenza viruses
 Human, avian, swine, equine

 Transfer of influenza virus to a

different species
CHARACTERISTICS OF VIRUS
There are two pathotypes of AI virus:
1) Low pathogenic AI (LPAI) most
common (0 out of 8) e.g H9
2) High pathogenic AI (HPAI) most
virulent (6 out of 8 or more in
experimental inoculation) e.g H5 and
H7
 TRANSMISSION
Virus is secreted from
• Respiratory system

• Conjunctiva

• Faeces

Horizontal:

• Aerosol

• Faecal contamination of feed & water

• Direct contact between infected & susceptible birds (migratory

waterfowl, shore birds, pet birds)

• Wild/free living birds worldwide carry the viruses in their intestines,

but usually do not get sick (natural resistance)

• Ducks, waterfowl and shore birds are most important reservoir,

same bird can harbour 2 or more strains

• Live bird markets & exotic birds

• Swine flu (H1N1 & H3N2) to turkeys & humans

• Virus contaminated fomites

 Vertical: No evidence
 CLINICAL SIGNS
•Subclinical (LPAI)
•Mild upper respiratory disease (LPAI)
•Reproductive failure (Loss of Egg production)
(LPAI)
•Severe acute highly fatal generalized disease
(HPAI)
 CLINICAL SIGNS
LPAI; H9
• Extremely variable
• Pronounced depression &  feed consumption
• Huddling and ruffled feathers
• Mild to severe respiratory sign: coughing, sneezing, rales & excessive
lacrimation, sinusitis and depression
  broodiness of hens &  egg production
HPAI; (mostly seen in chicken) H5 & H7
 Sudden onset and short course with mortality near 100% (peracute)
• Subcutaneous edema of head & face which may extend to neck and
breast
• Cyanosis of wattles, comb & unfeathered skin
• Areas of diffuse hemorrhage on shanks
• Nervous disorders i. e, convulsions, ataxia
• Mucoid Diarrhoea (white)
ANY OF THESE SIGN MAY OCCUR SINGLY OR IN VARIOUS COMBINATIONS
 PATHOGENESIS
 Virus replicates in intestinal tact and lungs
 Virus adsorbs to glycoprotein receptors on the
cell surface
 Enters the cell by receptor-mediated endocytosis
 Nucleocapsid enters the cytoplasm & migrates to
nucleus
 Production & assembly of viral protein and RNA
 Budding from the plasma membrane
PATHOGENESIS
 POSTMORTEM LESIONS
LPAI: Mild to moderate inflammation of trachea, sinuses, airsacs &
conjunctiva
 In layers; ovarian damage and atresia & involution of oviduct
HPAI: Variable; Lesions may be absent with sudden death
 Congested carcass with dark red muscles, severe congestion of the
musculature and conjuctiva
 Edema of head, neck & swollen sinuses
 Cyanotic, congested & haemorrhagic wattles & combs
 Congestion & haemorrhages on shanks
 Hemorrhagic tracheitis & haemorrhages on coronary fat
 Petechiae in abdominal fat, mucosal & serosal surfaces
 Haemorrhagic streaks in proventriculus and erosion of gizzard
mucosae
 Airsaculitis: Airsacs thickened & having fibrinous or caseous exudate
 Egg yolk peritonitis and haemorrhagic follicles in laying hens
 Severely congested kidneys
 Necrotic foci in liver, spleen, kidneys & lungs
 DIAGNOSIS
 Isolation & identification of causative agent from
Trachea & Cloaca
 Serological identification
 HA (antigen) HI (Antibody) test
 Agar gel immunodiffusion ( identifies antibody to type A antigen)
 Virus neutralization
 ELISA
Molecular diagnosis; RT-PCR
Differential diagnosis
 ND (Clinically indistinguishable from virulent

Newcastle Disease) HPAI from V V ND

 Mycoplasma infection (CRD)

 Infectious bronchitis

 Fowl Cholera
CONTROL
 Proper biosecurity measures
 Wild birds control (WATER BIRDS)
 All-in/all-out
 Movement of people & equipment should be
controlled
 Correct disposal of carcasses
 Routine serologic monitoring of blood or egg yolk
antibody
 Vaccination: It is not practical to vaccinate against all
possible serotypes, on the other hand if some
serotype involving an outbreak is identified,
vaccination may be a useful tool.
 Traditional killed vaccines are effective( H7, H9 )
Autovaccine are mostly used
 Vaccines will protect only against other avian
influenza viruses with the same hemagglutinin (H)
type. Immunity is hemagglutinin subtype specific
 PUBLIC HEALTH RELATIONSHIP
The influenza viruses of birds can replicate in
mammals & cause illness.
The first known case of influenza type A (H
5
N1) occurred in 3 year child in 1997 in Hong
Kong.
Zoonotic strains include H5N1, H7N7 and
H9N2, whereas, H1N1 (swine flu) (Depends on
the presence of mammalian or avian receptors)
Risk is low

Strains vary in ability to infect humans

High occupational exposure may increase risk

Human transmission
 1997, Hong Kong
 18 humans infected, 6 died

 H5N1 virus linked to outbreak in live bird market and area

farms
 2002, 1 person died

 2003, the Netherlands

 83 confirmed cases in humans, 1 death

 H7N7 strain

 2004-2005, SE Asia
 118 cases, 61 deaths

 Indonesia, Viet Nam, Thailand, Cambodia

 H5N1 strain

 Within the vicinity of poultry outbreaks

 Evidence for human-to-human transmission

Human transmission
 2006
More than 130 people have died from the H5N1 avian virus in
the past three years, most of them in Southeast Asia.
Vietnam has recorded 42 human deaths, making it one of the
hardest hit countries. Thailand has had 14 fatalities.

 2007
Four brothers — two of whom died — and two cousins from
Abbotabad, a small city about 30 miles north of Islamabad,
were suspected of being infected by the H5N1 virus.

Another person in a separate case who slaughtered poultry in

nearby Mansehra, 15 miles away, also tested positive for the
disease
Symptoms of avian influenza in
humans
 Fever, cough, sore throat, muscle
aches, eye infections, pneumonia,
severe respiratory diseases (such as
acute respiratory distress), and other
severe and life-threatening
complications.
100% MORTALITY DUE TO
DULL & DEPRESSED BIRDS
FACIAL EDEMA & RESPIRATORY
DISTRESS
Necrotic tips of comb
FACIAL SWELLING
CYANOSIS
CYANOSIS
Oedamatous cyanotic comb and
wattle Oedematous wattles
Pathgnomonic signs
MUCOID DIARRHOEA
SUBCUTANEOUS HAEMORRHAGE
OF SHANKS
Haemorrhagic conjuctivitis
(H9)
HAEMORRHAGIC TRACHEITIS
Ecchymotic haemorrhages in
proventriculus
What is Tamiflu?
 Tamiflu is a drug which is believed to
help protect humans from the H5N1
strain of the bird flu virus. Tamiflu is
usually available through prescription
only, for between £25 and £30.