Hi Groche,

I saw an Article yesterday about inoculations causing a new virus that is spreading in Australia. Have you heard of this?

Ron

Never heard of it! Need more details re the article. I'd have thought it would be biggish news here if true. Will follow up.

 Cheers  Geoff

Im kind of suprised Geoff that you hadnt heard about this virus, they used some sort of vaccine, it turned deadly and new zeland is worried about the spread of this poultry virus spreading there. but experts say it wont.

The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has issued a comment on a journal article examining chicken vaccines.

According to the MPI, the Science journal article concludes that virus strains in two vaccines for infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) have combined, creating more virulent strains of the original viruses. In Australia, the two vaccines have been used in combination, creating these virulent strains, which have caused disease outbreaks in Australian poultry.

The ILT virus is an acute respiratory tract disease that can spread through chicken flocks, killing up to 20% of the birds. Flocks can be vaccinated against the new viruses.

New Zealand’s vaccine regime is different to Australia’s, the MPI said, so New Zealand poultry producers should not be concerned about recombination of ILT viruses from vaccines. While live poultry and raw chicken meat are not imported into New Zealand, hatching eggs are permitted. However, hatching eggs do not present a threat, the MPI said, as ILT is not transmissible in eggs.

The MPI said it will evaluate the report on ILT vaccines and consider how vaccines are registered, sold and used in New Zealand to avoid the issues that Australia faces with recombinant virus strains.

Gene-swapping vaccines spawn lethal poultry virus:

Three vaccines used to prevent respiratory disease in chickens have swapped genes, producing two lethal new strains that have killed tens of thousands of fowl across two states in Australia, scientists reported on Friday.

The creation of the deadly new variant was only possible because the vaccines contained live viruses, even though they were weakened forms, said Joanne Devlin, lead author of the paper published in the journal Science.

Devlin and her team discovered how closely related the two new strains were with viruses in the vaccines after analyzing their genes.

"What we found was the field viruses ... were actually a mixture of the genomes from different vaccine viruses," said Devlin, a lecturer at the University of Melbourne's School of Veterinary Science. "They actually combined, mixed together."

The viruses emerged in 2008, a year after Australia started using a European vaccine along with two very similar Australian vaccines to fight acute respiratory disease in poultry. The illness causes coughing, sneezing and breathing difficulties in birds, normally killing 5 percent of them.

The two new strains, however, were far more harmful, and since they were created have killed up to 17 percent of chicken flocks across Victoria and New South Wales, the two main chicken rearing states in Australia.

"What could have happened was one chicken was vaccinated with one vaccine and later was exposed to the other vaccine somehow, from nearby chickens," Devlin said.

Agricultural authorities in Australia have been informed of the results of the study, and are considering how to prevent similar cross-overs happening again.

"Use of only one vaccine in a population of birds will prevent different viruses from combining," Devlin said.

"Authorities are reviewing labels on vaccine to change the way vaccines are used and prevent different vaccines being used in one population."

It seems to be an issue more in commercial flocks at the moment. For our govt. response, google Australian Pesticides and Vetinary Medicines Authority - Agvet regulator responds to chicken vaccine concerns. It would seem to be the result of mixing two strains of vaccine. Maybe you don't have the issue there but you should probably heed the advice/recommended practice and not mix vaccines.

Cheers  geoff from aus

Quote:

Originally Posted by groche 

It seems to be an issue more in commercial flocks at the moment. For our govt. response, google Australian Pesticides and Vetinary Medicines Authority - Agvet regulator responds to chicken vaccine concerns. It would seem to be the result of mixing two strains of vaccine. Maybe you don't have the issue there but you should probably heed the advice/recommended practice and not mix vaccines.

Cheers  geoff from aus

Thank you Geoff!

It's good to hear it has not gotten into non commercial flocks.

Ron

thats a releif geoff..keep those wonderful birds safe..scarey stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aveca 

thats a releif geoff..keep those wonderful birds safe..scarey stuff.

Yes!

When I read about the virus in Australia I was worried for Geoff.

Ron

i was too, i read about it a little while ago was kind of keeping an eye   on it..since the genes swapped chance of wild flocks carrying it out..so far its contained..but worth keeping an eye on it..especially scarey because this strain of australorp, best in the world really is located pretty much only in australia...maybe a few pockets in new zeland..

Thanks for the concern, folks. I'll keep an eye on this issue and keep you informed.

Cheers  Geoo from Aus