Preliminary testing of 710 healthy, wild, migratory ducks in the Maritime provinces has revealed 35 positive results for the H5 avian influenza virus and one positive result for the H7 virus.
These preliminary results do not indicate an increased threat to human health or commercial poultry flocks.
The survey samples, taken from young, live and healthy birds, were collected by the Canadian Wildlife Service during routine banding of migratory waterfowl. The survey is a joint initiative of the federal and provincial governments through the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre. These preliminary results, which were carried out at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Charlottetown, PEI, are similar to findings in other areas of Canada.
Many of the ducks were from the Tantramar marshes near the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border. The Atlantic provinces share a common waterfowl migratory route so results from one area likely represent results for the entire region.
The positive samples have been sent to the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg to confirm the preliminary results and to further determine the subtypes of the viruses. This analysis would also rule out the virus strain currently present in Asia and Europe. Migratory birds are known to carry influenza viruses and it is unlikely the viruses are the same as those currently found in Asia and Europe.
Results will be available soon.
Federal and provincial governments will continue to monitor the health of wild and domestic birds. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a general notice to poultry producers, reminding them to always follow strict biosecurity practices.
For more information on testing results and avian flu see the website
at www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml.