Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO152
2007-01-12 07:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT JANUARY 11

Tags:  TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6393
PP RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB
DE RUEHKO #0152 0120753
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 120753Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9767
INFO RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE
RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 9525
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 8999
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 2005
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2980
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 0544
RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC 8415
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 000152 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE
DEPT FOR OES/IHA COMELLA
DEPT FOR EAP/J
USDA PASS TO APHIS
HHS PASS TO CDC
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, BHAT AND ELVANDER
DEPT PASS TO AID/GH/HIDN DENNIS CARROLL

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI JA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT JANUARY 11

REF: A. 05 STATE 153802


B. TOKYO 7106 AND PREVIOUS

UNCLAS TOKYO 000152

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AIAG AMBASSADOR LANGE
DEPT FOR OES/IHA COMELLA
DEPT FOR EAP/J
USDA PASS TO APHIS
HHS PASS TO CDC
HHS FOR OGHA STEIGER, BHAT AND ELVANDER
DEPT PASS TO AID/GH/HIDN DENNIS CARROLL

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO KFLU KSTH ECON PREL SOCI JA
SUBJECT: AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT JANUARY 11

REF: A. 05 STATE 153802


B. TOKYO 7106 AND PREVIOUS


1. No human outbreaks of H5N1 AI were reported in Japan during the
period from December 21 to January 11.

--- Suspected AI Outbreak in Kyushu ---


2. On January 11, the Miyazaki Prefectural government in Kyushu
announced that they are investigating the death of about 750 poultry
on a farm in the Miyazaki Prefecture. Results from an initial rapid
test kit, administered by the farm veterinarian on January 11,
indicated type "A" influenza. The outbreak was subsequently
reported to the Miyazaki Prefecture, and is now being investigated
by the National Institute of Animal Health, which will release a DNA
sequence of the virus by January 13. There are no reports of human
infection. In the Kyushu region, avian flu outbreaks occurred in
Yamaguchi in January 2004 and in Oita in February 2004. According
to the Prefectural government, about 12,000 chickens were being
raised at the farm. In accordance with the law, the Prefectural
government has isolated the remaining chickens there as an emergency
measure until viral results are obtained, and will impose a ban on
the movement of poultry, eggs, and live birds within a 10 km radius
of the affected farm. This restricted area includes 17 poultry
farms that raise roughly 400,000 chickens.

-- Japan to Urge Public to Stockpile Food-


3. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) plans to call
on citizens to store a two-week supply of food in preparation for
outbreaks of human-to-human transmitted pandemic influenza. Such
stockpiling would enable them to stay home and prevent spreading of
the virus. The recommendation will be included in guidelines to be
drawn up by MHLW as early as January. The guidelines will also lay
out a strategy for containing pandemic influenza as soon as possible
to limit the spread of infection and a plan to build an effective
supply system for antiviral drugs.

-- Faster Test Kit for Avian Influenza--


4. Osaka Prefectural Institute of Public Health has developed a
diagnostic kit for avian influenza that provides a faster and easier
way to test for infections. The new diagnostic method, using
antibodies that exclusively join with the nucleus protein of virus
of avian influenza, can diagnose an avian influenza infection within
ten minutes. The conventional test kit is unable to distinguish
between avian influenza and human influenza. The Polymerase Chain
Reaction (PCR) takes a day to identify an avian influenza virus.
The new test kit's effectiveness has been confirmed with the H5 type
avian influenza virus, and is expected to be effective in diagnosing
pandemic influenza viruses that have mutated from avian influenza
form.

DONOVAN