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WILD BIRD MORTALITY - IRAN: OIE, REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ******************************************************** Date: 12 Oct 2005 From: ProMED-mail Source: OIE Disease Information Alert Messages [edited] ______________________________________________________________ High mortality observed in wild birds in Iran --------------------------------------------- Information received on (and dated) 12 Oct 2005 from Dr Mansour Sayari, head of Iran Veterinary Organization, Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture, Tehran: _______________________________________________________________ Reason for immediate notification: an emerging disease with significant morbidity or mortality or zoonotic potential. -------------------------------------- A high mortality was observed in wild waterfowl (wild ducks) at Poldasht, on the coast of Arras, West Azerbaijan province. -------------------------------------- No pathological agent has been identified yet. No postmortem lesions are seen in dead birds; weakness and death are the only evidence. _______________________________________________________________ Date of start of the event: 2 Oct 2005. Total number of deaths: 3673. Source of outbreak or origin of infection: unknown or inconclusive. _______________________________________________________________ Control measures undertaken: - quarantine; - movement control inside the country; - screening; - zoning; - disinfection of infected areas. ______________________________________________________________ Note by the OIE Animal Health Information Department: the negative laboratory tests do not mention for which disease the diagnostic tests were negative. It is likely to be avian influenza. A confirmation from the Veterinary Services of this country has been requested. ______________________________________________________________ OIE Animal Health Information Department ----------------------------------------------- -- ProMED-mail -------------------------------------- [Although many people might think of avian influenza in this instance because of the recent wild bird die offs in Lake Erhel in northern Mongolia or China's Qinghai Lake, it should be remember that wild bird die offs are caused by many other factors. We have had many reports of botulism from different countries, for example. The above report has no diagnostic information but does mention postmortem and some clinical findings, which are not said to be indicative of avian influenza. We will just have to await further information. In this situation, as in the recent case in Turkey and Romania, it is of the utmost importance to have the influenza H and N types identified before making conclusions about global spread. - Mod.PC] --------------------------------------- [see also: Avian influenza - Asia (39): Turkey, turkeys, H5 conf. 20051009.2947