AVIAN FLU: CATS IN AUSTRIA "REJECT" H5N1 VIRUS

UNCLAS VIENNA 000696 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES/IHA, EUR/AGS USDA FOR FAS/CMP/DLP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KFLU ASEC TBIO SENV EAGR EAID ECON WHO AU SUBJECT: AVIAN FLU: CATS IN AUSTRIA "REJECT" H5N1 VIRUS REFS: A) VIENNA 488 B) VIENNA 470 C) VIENNA 610 D) 05 VIENNA 3865 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. On March 6, the Austrian Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Veterinary Director of the Austrian state of Styria announced that Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) tests confirmed the existence of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in the saliva of three cats. However, the MoH subsequently announced that further tests revealed that the immune systems of all three cats had rejected the virus. There are two areas of higher incidence of avian flu in Austria: in the south near the Slovenian border and on Lake Constance in the west. End Summary. BACKGROUND -------------- ¶2. Austrian Ministry of Health (MoH) officials announced late on March 6 that three cats, which initially tested positive for the H5N1 avian influenza, had subsequently rejected the virus. The cats are all from an animal shelter in Graz, where veterinarians had cared for an infected swan in February. At the time, several birds at the shelter became infected, and authorities culled all the poultry at the shelter. FOLLOW-UP ACTION -------------- ¶3. The Veterinary Institute in Vienna has quarantined the remaining 170 cats from the animal shelter in a separate location. The Veterinary Institute is conducting tests on these cats, as well as on the other animals that remain at the animal shelter. ¶4. The cause of infection remains unclear. MoH's Chief Veterinarian, Ulrich Herzog, said that the most likely explanation is possible contamination of the cats' food with excrement from the infected birds. ¶5. The government is recommending that, inside the protection and surveillance zones (within 3 and 10 kilometers, respectively, of a site of known infection), owners should keep cats indoors. Dogs within the zone can go outside, but only on leashes. According to Herzog, at this stage, there is no need for further restrictions on pets. The MoH considers the animal shelter cases "unique," because the shelter had not observed the required precautionary measures when it admitted the infected swan. AI UPDATE -------------- ¶6. Herzog added that there are two "hotspots" of avian flu infections in Austria. One is in Mellach, near the Slovenian border. A hydropower station in the area attracts migratory birds. The other area with a high incidence of avian flu cases is Lake Constance in the extreme western part of Austria. Protection and surveillance zones, according to the National Avian Influenza Crisis Plan, are in place in these regions. ¶7. To date, the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) has confirmed 36 positive H5N1 cases in birds out of 800 tested. As of February 19, federal ordinance requires that all poultry be kept indoors. MCCAW#