With four South African farms having been hit by the current bird flu outbreak, University of Pretoria (UP) researchers have joined the poultry industry and the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) to contain the highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N8 variant of bird flu.

Earlier this year, the first outbreak on South African soil was confirmed on a farm near Villiers, subsequently spreading to three other farms in Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

It has been reported that more than 260 000 birds have been culled since, as there is no known cure.

This strain of the virus, originating in Europe and infecting European poultry for more than a year, was isolated in Zimbabwe in May, where the virus-based respiratory disease had “wreaked havoc” in the poultry industry after hundreds of thousands of commercial birds had to be culled.

Control measures have been put in place to prevent the spread of the disease, including placing the infected farms under quarantine and the culling of infected birds, as well as movement controls, increased biosecurity and increased surveillance.

Further, poultry specialists from the South African Veterinary Poultry group, DAFF, the South African Poultry Association and other stakeholders have been meeting regularly to assist in the containment of the virus and to discuss plans to avoid future outbreaks.

“It is important for everyone involved, including consumers, to be informed about the available options and the measures in place to curb the spread," said UP Department of Production Animal Studies poultry health and production research chairperson Professor Celia Abolnik.

As precautionary measures to prevent potential infections of their own stock, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana suspended poultry imports from South Africa.

The sale of live chickens in South Africa had also been suspended until South African veterinarians verified that the chickens are free from the strain, with sellers of live chickens required to register with South Africa’s poultry disease association.

“Poultry meat and eggs available commercially in supermarkets are completely safe and have not come from any H5N8 infected flock. The public is urged to remain vigilant and report sick or dead birds, including poultry and wild birds, to their local state veterinarian," Abolnik commented.

While the strain is not considered a danger to humans, the chance of infection should not be excluded as a possibility, however unlikely, and appropriate precaution should be taken.