Research article

First case of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in Spain

M Barral¹ , V Alvarez¹ , RA Juste¹ , I Agirre² and I Inchausti³

¹  Department of Production and Animal Health, NEIKER-Tecnalia-Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario, Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain

²  Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa, Pza. de Gipuzkoa s/n, 20004 Donostia-San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Spain

³  Diputación Foral de Bizkaia, Avda. Lehendakari Agirre, 9, 48014 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain

author email corresponding author email

BMC Veterinary Research 2008, 4:50doi:10.1186/1746-6148-4-50

Published:	10 December 2008

Abstract

Background

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus has been involved in severe mortality in domestic poultry, and has also been found in different species of wildlife in Europe. The Basque Country avian influenza surveillance program began sample collection and processing the fall of 2005.

Results

Here we report the first confirmation of the presence of highly pathogenic H5N1 strain in a Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) found dead in a pond near Vitoria in the Basque Country on the North of Spain. Regarding the survey for generic influenza type A virus, we have obtained positive results in about 8% of more that 3500 birds examined.

Conclusion

We think that the self-limiting nature of our finding and others proves that certain regions have ecological, geographical and climatological features that make it difficult for the H5N1 virus to spread [1] and cause disease at least in the large scale scenario that has been worrying human and animal health authorities during the last years.