Confirmed H7 avian influenza in Oxfordshire poultry farm

4 June 2008

The Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed H7 avian influenza in chickens on premises at Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Further tests completed today confirmed the strain is highly pathogenic which means it spreads rapidly in the bird population with a high mortality rate among birds.  

Culling of the birds starts today on the infected premises (June 4th) as required under EU legislation. Defra have imposed a 3-kilometre protection zone and a 10-kilometre outer surveillance zone around the farm area. This is to prevent further spread to neighbouring flocks and/or farms.

Despite this incident the current level of risk to humans from H7 avian influenza remains very low. Nonetheless, any possibility of exposure is viewed very seriously and the Health Protection Agency is working closely with Defra and local NHS partners to ensure that all the necessary steps are being taken to protect those people who may have been exposed to the virus.

These actions include offering antiviral drugs and seasonal influenza vaccine where appropriate to people who have been in close contact with the infected poultry. The Thames Valley Health Protection Unit will also ensure those going to the farm to work on culling and then cleaning operations will have adequate protective equipment and will receive pre-exposure treatment with seasonal flu immunisation and antiviral medicine as appropriate.

Director of the Thames Valley Health Protection Unit, Dr Elizabeth Haworth said: “The current level of risk to human health posed by H7 avian flu is very low. H7 avian flu remains largely a disease in birds, which does not transmit easily to humans.

“Only about ten people needed post exposure treatment with antiviral medicine and seasonal flu immunisation and they have all now received this. We have also set up enhanced surveillance of people exposed to infected poultry, checking daily for any symptoms of illness which may emerge even though the risk to humans remains very low.”

Professor Nigel Lightfoot, Head of Influenza Programmes at the Health Protection Agency, said: “Despite this occurrence the current level of risk to humans from avian flu is very low. Most human H7 infections so far have occurred through direct contact with live or dead infected poultry. However, any possibility of exposure to the virus is taken very seriously and the local Health Protection Unit is working closely with Defra and Animal Health to ensure that all the necessary steps are being taken to protect those people who may have been exposed to the virus on the premises or are involved in disease control activities." 

Ends

Notes to editors:

Avian influenza, or “bird flu”, is a contagious disease of birds caused by viruses that normally only infects wild birds and, rarely, other species including domestic poultry.

When a strain is identified as being ‘highly pathogenic’ this refers to the implications for birds - not for humans. The risk to human health is very low for this strain.

• For further information contact Teresa Cash, Regional Communications Manager HPA South East on 07789 295454; the Colindale press office on 020 8327 7098/7097/6690 or out of office hours on 020 8200 4400
• There have been no cases linked to the consumption of properly cooked meat and eggs, for further guidance http://www.food.gov.uk/
• For more information on avian flu, please see www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/influenza/avian/default.htm
• Further information on avian flu in poultry is available on the DEFRA website http://www.defra.gov.uk

Last reviewed: 24 December 2008