The Department of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda has reported the detection of a case of bird flu (IAAP H5N1 virus) in a common tern (sterna hirundo) located in Arenys de Mar (Maresme). The infection in the animal was confirmed last July 11 by the laboratory and notified to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food through the Health Alerts Network.
The Department has adopted prevention and control measures in a radius of 10 kilometers around Arenys for 30 days to inspect poultry farms in the area. All individuals who have poultry for self-consumption are also urged to report this activity.
Avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds produced by the type A influenza virus subtype. It can affect both poultry species intended for consumption as well as pet birds and wild birds.
Although Catalonia is considered free of this flu, a series of mandatory prevention measures were defined for all poultry farms, commercial or self-consumption. In Catalonia, three foci of avian flu were reported at the beginning of 2022.
There are several indications to suspect the appearance of HPAI, such as a decrease in feed consumption and water greater than 20%, that the laying of the birds is greater than 5% for more than two days without justified cause, that the mortality exceeds 3% of the farm and any clinical sign or post-mortem lesion suspicious of avian influence (coughing, sneezing, tearing, nasal/oral discharge, anorexia, cyanosis of the head, crest or chin, facial edema, diarrhoea, nervous symptoms, hemorrhagic lesions, etc…
According to information from the Ministry of Health, bird flu can be transmitted to humans in very exceptional cases, since the H5N1 virus has shown very little efficiency in transmitting from birds to people. For this to happen, there must be very close contact with sick animals. In fact, so far infections have only occurred in people with very direct exposure to infected birds, mainly in poultry yards, farms or live animal markets, and the number of human cases remains very small compared to the total number. of affected birds.
