AVIAN INFLUENZA: JAPAN WEEKLY REPORT FEBRUARY 15

UNCLAS TOKYO 000689 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 FEBRUARY 15 REF: A. 05 STATE 153802 ¶B. TOKYO 597 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. No human outbreaks of H5N1 AI were reported in Japan during the period from February 08 to 15. -- Update on AI outbreaks in Miyazaki and Okayama -- ¶2. On February 14, a team of experts on avian influenza reported that all four recent outbreaks of avian influenza in Miyazaki and Okayama Prefectures were caused by a strain of the H5N1 viruses nearly identical to that found in the outbreaks in Chinghai, China 2005 and in South Korea 2006. The results of DNA analysis conducted by the National Institute of Animal Health indicated that the viruses were highly homologous. The team of experts suspects that migratory birds were involved in spreading the virus to Japan from China and South Korea. However, in order to identify the infection route, the team said that they need further information from China and South Korea as well as the results of an investigation of wild bird migration conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Environment. The team also indicated that it was possible for wild birds and other wild animals, such as rats, to carry the virus from farm to farm. SCHIEFFER