Just after the recovery from the Ebola
Virus Disease, Nigeria has been plunged into another epidemic which has
spread to 11 states: the avian influenza also known as bird flu.
Three weeks ago, the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development raised the alarm that there was
unusual high mortality in two poultry farms and live bird markets in
Kano and Lagos states. Like a wild fire in dry season, the disease has
spread to states such as Rivers, Edo, Delta, Ogun, Plateau, Gombe, Imo,
Oyo and Jigawa.
The first reported outbreak in Africa of
the H5N1 bird flu occurred in.....
2006 in a large commercial chicken farm
in Jaji, Kaduna State. The virus however started ravaging poultry across
Asia in 2003.
What is bird flu?
A veterinarian and Professor of Virology, Saka Baba, defined avian influenza as an infection caused by viruses.
Explaining that the causal agents
comprised Type A influenza viruses which primarily infect avian species,
the don added that the infections could also occur in human beings.
He said, “Avian flu virus is common in
wild birds and occasionally infect poultry. When poultry are infected,
they may have no disease, mild disease or very severe disease. Chickens,
quail and turkeys are especially susceptible while ducks more commonly
show no disease, but act as a reservoir for the virus. Other poultry
species, including guinea fowl, pheasants and ostriches can all become
affected.”
He added that while wild birds are generally not affected by the viruses they carry, they can occasionally suffer the disease.
Baba, who teaches at the Department of
Veterinary Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of
Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, added that observations from Asia and parts
of Europe linked the H5N1 virus to the disease.
According to Baba, influenza viruses have two main surface antigens, the haemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N).
“There are 16 haemagglutinin (H1-H16)
and nine neuraminidase (N1-N9) subtypes, but highly pathogenic avian
influenza viruses have historically been either H5 or H7, and to a
lesser degree H9. The avian influenza virus that has been causing the
major epidemic in Asia, parts of Europe, the Pacific, the Middle East
and Africa is H5N1, with some occurrences of H5N2 being reported as
well. Avian flu viruses are also classified based on their pathotype —
highly pathogenic and low pathogenic — a biological characteristic of
the virus’ virulence in chickens,” he said.
Baba further itemised the symptoms of
the virus in birds to include respiratory signs, reduction in feed and
water intake, decline in egg production and quality, diarrhoea, ruffled
feathers, sudden deaths among others.
Also, the World Health Organisation in
its Fact Sheet on the disease disclosed that the incubation period for A
(H5N1) avian influenza may be longer than that of normal seasonal
influenza occurring around two to three days.
The WHO identified diarrhoea, vomiting,
abdominal pain, chest pain, and bleeding from the nose and gums as
symptoms of the virus in some human patients.
According to the WHO, the primary risk
factor for human infection appears to be direct or indirect exposure to
infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments, such as live
bird markets.
It noted that there was no evidence to
suggest that the A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) viruses can be transmitted to
humans via well-prepared poultry or eggs.
The organisation stressed that
infections involving human beings had been traced to consumption of
dishes made of raw, contaminated poultry blood, slaughtering,
defeathering and handling carcasses of infected poultry.
Besides, Prof. Omolade Oladele who
teaches in the Department of Avian Medicine, University of Ibadan, Oyo
State, explained that the ‘highly pathogenic avian influenza’ witnessed
in Nigeria between 2006 and 2008 was caused by the H5N1 virus.
He added that the current wave of outbreaks was caused by the H5 virus indicating resurgence.
Bird flu in Nigeria
Some of the farmers and chicken sellers who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH were either aware of the outbreak of the bird flu or unaware of it.
A poultry owner in Ogun State who
preferred to be identified as Folayemi said he was not aware of the
discovery of the disease in the country until last week.
He said even though the development did not affect sales, he would warn his customers to be careful in handling birds.
He said, “I was not aware of it until
last week. I will ensure proper monitoring of the birds and also advise
my customers about the dangers of shoddy handling of birds with the
outbreak of the virus.”
A small poultry owner in Agege, Lagos who identified herself as Iya Dami said she had never heard of the disease.
She said, “What is bird flu? I have not heard of it, or is it a type of bird? This is my first time of hearing the word.”
Another poultry owner who introduced
herself as Adenike, however said she was aware of the outbreak of the
disease but hoped to do the little she could to prevent it from her
farmhouse.
She said, “Some weeks ago, some
veterinary doctors came to lecture us about the disease. They said we
should constantly clean our poultry. I pray the disease doesn’t affect
my poultry because I cannot afford to lose my birds. I have no other
source of income.”
A veterinary doctor and poultry owner, Olusola Aiyelotan, told SUNDAY PUNCH that he sent text messages to his customers on how to guard against the disease when he heard about the outbreak.
He also advised poultry owners and
farmers to disinfect vessels from time to time and curtail movement
within and outside their premises.
Aiyelotan said, “I constantly disinfect
my vessels. It is also important to reduce the rate at which farm
workers visit other poultry. One may not know when a poultry is infected
and vessels or crates from such poultry may be contaminated.’’
On his part, the Chairman, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, Lagos State Chapter, Bolaji Alao, told SUNDAY PUNCH that touts had converted the veterinary control posts in the country to mere revenue generating points.
He noted that the posts were special
facilities deployed at the borders or entry points into a state or
countries to serve as a tool for animal disease monitoring and
surveillance.
Alao also stressed that it was crucial
to adequately check live animals and products entering into any state or
country before cleared for entry.
He said, “It is also important to note
that imported live animals and products of animal origin present the
highest level of risks as they transmit serious human and animal
diseases. Therefore it is important to submit them to specific control
at the entry points. For example, a total of 1.5 million cattle, 1.3
million sheep and goats and 2,556 horses among others were imported into
Nigeria in 2010 according to the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine
Services.’’
He stated that these posts were at the
Lagos-Ibadan old Tollgate, Lagos-Abeokuta, and the Lagos-Cotonou border
points before their conversion to revenue points.
Describing the development as dangerous
for a state with about 18million population, he argued that it was
worrisome considering the fact that about 75 per cent of recent
infectious diseases affecting humans could be traced to animal origin
while 60 per cent of all human pathogens were zoonotic.
He further said the disease could have been controlled if the posts in Kano and Lagos were functional.
The veterinary doctor said, “We urge the
government to, among other important measures being deployed to contain
the virus, see to the immediate restoration of all veterinary control
posts around the country and ensure they are properly staffed and
equipped.’’
According to him, the association has
put its members on the alert to promptly report any suspected case to
the state veterinary department.
He added that farmers had been advised
to disinfect all vessels within and outside the farm premises, prevent
unauthorised access of visitors into premises, curtail activities of
wild or migratory birds within their environment and deploy biosecurity
measures to the various chicken markets in their neighbourhood.
Economic implications
The National President, Poultry
Association of Nigeria, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, disclosed that the per
capita consumption of egg and chicken in Nigeria is 65 and 2kg
respectively.
He also stated that the annual egg
production of the country was 10.3 billion while pegging that of chicken
meat production at 0.25MMT.
Oduntan said, ‘‘The poultry industry is a
major contributor to the domestic economy. It is responsible for at
least 25 per cent of the agricultural sector’s contributions to the
country’s gross domestic product. The industry provides direct
employment to five million and indirectly to 20 million from producers
of inputs like maize, soya to poultry products sellers in the market.’’
An agricultural economist and farmer,
Mr. Shedrack Madlion, added that egg and chicken meat production would
drop if the disease was not quickly tackled.
“The price of egg and chicken will also
increase,” he said. According to him, an average broiler weighing
between 14.5kg grown within the space of five to eight weeks currently
sells for between N1,000 to N1,300.
The leadership of the PAN had earlier said Nigeria has over 500,000 poultry farms and 120 million birds.
Madlion said, “These states provide 2.8
per cent of poultry products to the rest of the country. In northern
Nigeria, there is an advantage of feed production required by poultry
farms. Soya and maize are grown in the North. It is much easier
economically to do poultry business in the North, but because of the
level of enlightenment, constitution of veterinary doctors and
technology, there are more poultry farmers in the South-West. In all,
there are between 780 and 800 poultry farms in northern Nigeria.’’
He also said some poultry farms breed
birds in large numbers as high as 25,000, 15,000, 1,500 birds, while the
rural backyard poultry farms could breed as low as 150 birds.
How prepared is Nigeria?
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, disclosed that the affected states
and Federal Government had embarked on various interventions,
including depopulation, decontamination and quarantine of farms.
He said directors of veterinary services
in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory were told to
intensify biosecurity measures to check possible spread to other states.
The minister noted that the joint team of the federal and state
governments had contained the disease in Kano and Lagos states.
He said, “Other measures were to
restrict movement of live birds in and out of the affected states,
immediate reactivation of all animal health components of the emergency
preparedness plan on bird flu in Nigeria and the conduct of surveillance
activities around infected areas to determine the level of spread of
the disease.”
Lagos: The Commissioner
for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Gbolahan Lawal said the government
has employed active diseases search by surveillance agents, biosecurity
monitoring and sensitisation in poultry farms and markets, disinfection
of poultry markets and decontamination of affected farms to contain the
disease.
Lawal added, “A team of eight technical
staff, comprising representatives of the Federal Livestock Department,
National Quarantine Service and the National Veterinary Research
Institute is currently in the state on disease assessment and
surveillance. Sensitisation of poultry farmers and fowl sellers is being
vigorously embarked on by the Surveillance and Extension Agents
deployed by the ministry to cover the entire state. Disinfection of all
live bird markets in the state is already on going.”
Edo: The State
Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Abdul Oroh, said the government was
taking necessary steps to quarantine and decontaminate poultry farms.
He added that the government would curtail the spread of the disease.
Oroh added, “We have advised farmers to
watch out for any high mortality among birds in their farms and promptly
report such to the Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture
and Natural Resources in Benin. Members of the public need not panic as
the Edo State Government is already taking necessary steps, through the
Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, to curtail the spread to
other farms.’’
He also urged members of the public not to buy any dead or sick birds from any source.
Plateau: The Plateau
Government said it had resuscitated the Avian Influenza Control project
in order to deal with the current outbreak of the disease. It noted that
the move aimed to protect human beings from being infected.
The state epidemiologist, Dr. Raymond
Juryit, said outlets had been established in all the local government
areas to contain the spread of the disease.
He added that the state government was
adopting three pronged approach since the virus apart from having animal
health component, also infuse human health and communication
components.
“We have the structures on ground and
all we need to do is to resuscitate it and ensure that all those
concerned were brought on board for a concerted and joint fight against
the spread of the disease,” Juryit said.
How affected countries reacted
The virus, detected last Tuesday in
Washington State, United States, marked the third outbreak of the
disease in the state. The agriculture authorities in the state were said
to have issued warnings to bird owners to shield their flocks from
migratory birds believed to have spread the virus from Oregon to British
Columbia.
A US Department of Agriculture
spokeswoman, Joelle Hayden, was quoted as saying there was no immediate
public health concern because the virus had not been found in commercial
poultry. According to her, most strains of bird flu viruses do not
infect humans, although some strains can be dangerous or deadly.
She said, “All bird owners, whether
commercial producers or backyard enthusiasts, need to continue
practising good biosecurity, preventing contact between their birds and
wild birds and reporting sick birds or unusual bird deaths. The virus
has not been found in commercial poultry and there was no immediate
public health concern.”
Also, Israeli and Palestinian officials
are not taking chances since the outbreak of the virus which claimed
over 15,000 birds at an Aviel turkey-fattening farm near Hadera while it
affected about 4,000 birds at a Palestinian coop near Jenin.
-Punch
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