A highly pathogenic strain of Virus A was isolated from domestic poultry after an outbreak of infection and death among the hen and rooster population at a local farm barns in Regina Beach, Saskatchewan. At one barn, over two-thirds of the rooster population was dead within a couple days of noticed outbreak.
The birds were sampled and the samples sequenced and compared to known strains of the pathogen. After a successful test using RT-PCR assays revealed the identity of the agent as the H7N3 avian flu virus. Subsequently, epidemiological testing suggested of transmission of the virus through wild water birds from nearby natural body of water. Serological testing pointed out antibodies against the avian virus. In addition, phylogenetic analysis seemed to prove the hypothesis that the strain was transmitted from a wild bird of Anseriformes or Charadriiformes.
Influenza virus A belongs to the family Orthomyxoviridae with 16 HA and 9 NA subtypes currently identified. The H7N3 strain specifically targets avian creatures, but human subjects infected with the virus also occur, but are much less common.
One of the possible modes for human infections with the H7N3 results from handling of infected poutry.
Citations
Berhane Y, Hisangaga T, Kehler H, Neufeld J, Manning L, Argue C, et al. Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A (H7N3) in domestic poultry, Saskatchewan, Canada, 2007. Emerging Infection Diseases. http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/15/9/1492.htm
Belser J, Bridges C, Katz J, and Tumpey T, "Past, Present, and Possible Future Human Infection with Influenza Virus A Subtype H7." Emerging Infectious Diseases. June 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/15/6/pdfs/859.pdf
Morgan O, Kuhne M, Nair P. "Personal Protection Equipment and Risk for Avian Influenza (H7N3)." Emerging Infectious Diseases. January 2009. http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/151/1/59.htm
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