LPAI case in South African ostriches

The South African veterinary authorities have reported two outbreaks of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) on commercial ostrich farms.

At the farms located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces there was a total of 1,833 susceptible birds and 44 cases were reported. No deaths were recorded, and no birds were destroyed and a total of 1,493 ostriches were slaughtered.

The LPAI infection was picked up due to routine surveillance for HPAI and the source of the outbreaks has not yet been determined.

The South African ostrich industry was just beginning to recover from a major outbreak of HPAI which virtually disseminated the industry and resulted in over 40,000 ostriches being culled. Among the culled birds were 3,000 breeders, dampening breeding for the next three years, at which point the replacement breeders will have reached maturity.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) received an immediate notification of this latest case on 19 June 2012.

Source: OIE