Avian flu knocking at India's doors

The highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu), caused by the dreaded H5N1 virus, is inching closer to India's borders. Confirmed cases of bird flu have been reported from Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Mansehra in Pakistan.

Home-reared chicken and peacocks in these areas have tested positive for H5N1 influenza virus. There is, however, no report of this disease in poultry farms as yet.

Pakistan has formally informed the World Organisation for Animal Health about the outbreak of bird flu in these areas from February 4. The infection, believed to have come from migratory birds moving south from Siberia, has resurfaced in Pakistan almost a year after it was successfully controlled in January-February last year.

India has so far been free from this disease and the chances of import of this virus from Pakistan through trade channels are minimal as the country does not buy any poultry products from Pakistan.

But the threat of introduction of the infection through the wild birds flying across the country's long border with Pakistan cannot be totally ruled out, animal health experts believe.

The danger is all the more real because the infection has been detected in free-range birds who regularly come in contact with wild birds.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) had recently reported resurgence of the bird flu virus since the beginning of 2007 and had cautioned all countries to remain vigilant. It had confirmed the detection of H5N1 cases in at least 8 countries in Asia and Africa.