25 November 2010
Avian influenza H5N2 was detected in a turkey breeder farm in the province of Manitoba, Canada.
The farm has been quarantined by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and investigation will be conducted in compliance with the Canada's Notifiable Avian Influenza Hazard Specific Plan. All 8,200 turkeys on the farm will be destroyed within days.
Preliminary results from the National Center for Foreign Animal Diseases in Winnipeg indicate the presence of a H5N2 subtype avian influenza virus (PCR).
Sequence analysis of the PCR products indicates that the cleavage site is consistent with low pathogenic avian influenza virus H5. Closest matches (99% identity) in Genbank are to North American H5N2 viruses from wild birds.
Virus isolation is underway and additional testing is to come, including the intravenous pathogenicity index test.