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Bird flu threat still lingers as some fowl refuses to leave

By Irfan Aligi

KARACHI: The threat of avian influenza virus (H5N1), more commonly known as bird flu, has not fully died down in Pakistan and there is a constant threat of its breakout in poultry farms, especially in Sindh, said the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) Maternal, Neonatal Child Health (MNCH) program manager and avian flu consultant, Dr Aslam Pervez told Daily Times.

Pervez said that migratory aquatic birds normally leave Pakistan in February, but due to easily available grain and feed at poultry farms, many migratory birds stay back in the marshy and lakeside areas of Sindh, especially Gadap and Malir. These migratory aquatic birds are carriers of the H5N1, which surprisingly does not kill them, but seriously affects the poultry and other birds which come in contact with them through dung and secretions from nose and mouth.

The H5N1 takes 10 to 14 days to incubate and completely affect the poultry. It is not easy tell if a farm has been infected and there is always a strong premonition that the H5N1 outbreak will occur in a week or two, or a little later. To be on the safe side, it is imperative to implement the poultry by-laws with full diligence. Unfortunately, none of the poultry farms in Sindh are registered with the government, while it is imperative to adopt bio-safety measures at all poultry farms to prevent the interaction between migratory aquatic birds and poultry birds, warned Pervez.

Sindh Provincial Surveillance Officer on Avian Influenza Dr Aslam Jalali told Daily Times that it is difficult to ascertain the source of transmission of H5N1 in poultry birds because the migratory aquatic fowl was not found as carriers of the H5N1 after randomized sampling with the help of the Sindh Wild Life Department. The virus is mainly found in layer birds and sampling of broiler birds is not carried out. However, poultry farmers are now advised to carry out vaccination of the broiler birds as well. There are at least three stages for vaccination of layer birds at poultry farms prior to the egg hatching, while only one time vaccination is required for broiler birds.

Pervez said that although the CDGK city council has passed by-laws for poultry farmers, their implementation is still awaited. The hygienic condition at all poultry products sales outlet is so filthy that many dangerous species of bacteria and viruses will be found if lab tests are carried out, he added.

The EDO Law, Manzoor Ahmed, told Daily Times that the manuscript of by-laws for poultry has been sent for publication in the Gazette of Sindh after which poultry issues would be dealt with in accordance of the by-laws.

The Gazette notification is expected on Monday (today). After its issuance, a full-fledged operation will be carried out to ensure 100 percent compliance, EDO agriculture Shabbir Bhurt told Daily Times. The DCO has been requested to designate at least one DO and one DDO with a complete staff and necessary machinery at town level so the implementation of the by-laws is ensured.

A well-placed officer in the CDGK told Daily Times that Gadap, Damloti and rural Malir are still at high risk of a breakout of bird flu. Lack of immunization of the poultry through vaccination is one of the major reasons for this. The poultry farmers deliberately avoid proper vaccination as recommended by government due to high cost.

It is the duty of EDO agriculture to implement the by-laws unconditionally. A letter to speed up the process of sero-surveillance and randomized sampling at all poultry farms has been issued to him, learnt the Daily Times.

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