Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1)

Avian influenza also known as bird flu or avian flu is a highly contagious virus that
is wide spread among the avian species. Influenza virus in birds are classified as
highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) or low pathogenic avian influenza
virus(LPAI) on the basis of their molecular characteristics and the ability of the virus
to cause disease and mortality in chickens in the laboratory condition. H5 & H7
strains of avian influenza virus are highly pathogenic.
H5N1, Asian highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, was first reported in China in
1996. The virus was first reported in human in 1997 in Hong Kong. From the date
of outbreak to the till date the virus has caused widespread disruption to the poultry
industry of southeast Asian countries like China, Nepal, India, Myanmar, Japan,
Indonesia etc. where significant portion of people depends on farming for livelihood.
Nepal suffered the first outbreak of H5N1 at the mid-January of 2009. The first
outbreak was confirmed in Mechinagar municipality, Kankarvitta, of Jhapa district
which borders with the West Bangal state of India.
H5N8 is also reported in Nepal at the beginning of March 2017 on the Koshi zone
of southeast part of Nepal.
From the outbreak of avian influenza virus Nepali poultry industry has suffered a
huge economic loss but the human case of avian influenza virus has not been
reported till the date.
From its first outbreak in 2009 in the southeast part of nation, Jhapa, the outbreak of
the bird flu/ avian influenza is reported in different part of the nation. Later in the
years the outbreak was reported in many other districts like Kaski, Kathmandu,
Banke, Bhaktapur, Udyapur, Chitwan and soon. Bird flu is reported in 22 districts
out of 77 till the date. A scary situation occurred on 2013; 173 cases of bird flu
outbreak was reported at different times on that same year in 12 districts.
Avian influenza has caused a great economic loss in the Nepalese poultry industry.
Till the year 2017; 19,70,604 poultry birds, 30,53,986 eggs, 16,510.5 kg of meat and
1,63.929 kg of poultry feed was destroyed during stamping-out operation.
Government of Nepal also paid NRs 38,06,44,000 as a compensation of stamping-
out operation to the farmers.
Nepal is always at the high risk of bird flu. Especially the southern part of country
is at higher risk. Culling/ Killing is the only option to control the bird flu after its
outbreak. Proper disposal of the culled birds, cleaning and disinfection of the site
after disposal is must for controlling.