Analysis underway to determine possible B.C. outbreak of avian flu: CFIA

Lab tests confirmed the presence of the H5 strain of avian influenza in a Fraser Valley turkey farm Friday as health officials continued the quarantine of all poultry farms within three kilometres of the property.

Blood work revealed bird flu antibodies in some 12-week-old birds, and a detailed genetic analysis is underway to determine the potential danger of an outbreak, said Sandra Stephens, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The initial testing was done after some of the 50,000 turkeys on the E&H Farms in Abbotsford showed signs of respiratory distress.

"Right now, we are in the process of planning for the destruction, planning for the disposal, getting all the premises identified in the area, determining what birds they have … and what type of surveillance we will need to do on those other farms that are under quarantine," Stephens told CBC News.

Twenty-three other farms within a three-kilometre radius are under a precautionary quarantine until the agency determines the subtype of H5 that has made the birds sick, and whether the virus is of high or low pathogenicity.

The B.C. Poultry Association said Friday there were some health issues among some turkeys at the commercial farm recently.

"There was some minor respiratory problems … so there were some producers being proactive and trying to find out what the issue was," association spokesman Calvin Breukelman told said.

Danuta Skowronski, an epidemiologist with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, said the risk to human health is negligible even if an outbreak is confirmed.

"In terms of the general public, the risk either way is about as close to zero as you can get. Our concern would focus on making sure that anyone having direct exposure with avian influenza is well protected," Skowronski said.

Seventeen million birds were slaughtered in the Fraser Valley in February 2004 following an outbreak of the H7N3 version of the disease, a different strain from deadly H5N1 version linked to nearly 250 deaths and other illnesses in Southeast Asia, China, Russia and Europe.

The presence of H5 virus in the Fraser Valley turkeys does not mean there is an outbreak of the H5N1 virus, Skowronski said, and there are multiple subtypes of H5 avian flu.