Voluntary Report - public distribution

**Date:** 3/3/2006

**GAIN Report Number:** GM6011

GM6011

**Germany**

**Sanitary/Phytosanitary/Food Safety**

**AI Update: AI Confirmed in Cats and Suspected in a Beech Marten**

**2006**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)William W. Westman

U.S. Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Sabine M. Lieberz

**Report Highlights:**

As of March 10, three cats were confirmed with high pathogen Avian
Influenza (AI). A beech marten was confirmed with AI but the
pathogenicity test is still pending. The cats and the beech marten were
found in the area where the majority of cases in wild birds occurred.
The total number of confirmed cases in wild birds rose to 175. Domestic
poultry is not affected. The confirmation of high pathogen AI in cats
has again spurred the discussion about vaccination.

Includes PSD Changes: No

Includes Trade Matrix: No

Unscheduled Report

Berlin \[GM1\]

\[GM\]

**AI confirmed in cats**

The German Federal Research Institute for Animal Health
(Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, FLI) confirmed on March 2, that a cat that
was found on February 28 died from the high pathogen strain of H5N1
Avian Influenza. On March 8, two additional cases in cats were
confirmed. The cats were found on the Baltic island of Ruegen near the
area where the first dead swans were found. It is believed that the cats
contracted the virus by feeding on infected dead birds. In the past,
cats have been reported contracting the virus in experiments and in a
zoo in Asia, where cats and cat like animals were fed with infected
poultry meat.

Horst Seehofer, the German Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture, and
Consumer Protection, said these findings worry him because it shows that
while the risk by the virus itself has not increased, it has
"geographically" come closer to the general public. People in the
developed countries usually do not have close contact with wild birds,
but they do have close contact with cats.

As a precaution, since March 4, all cats have to be kept indoors and all
dogs have to be kept on a leash in all protection and surveillance
zones[^1] throughout Germany. Failure to comply is subject to fines
starting at 1 Euro and up to 25,000 Euros, depending on the severity of
the infraction (i.e. a child, whose dog breaks free will face lower
fines than someone who makes a TV statement that they will not comply).

As an additional precaution, access to poultry stables is restricted to
farm workers, veterinarians, and officials in the protection and
surveillance zones.

This incident has again spurred the discussion about vaccination.
Minister Seehofer repeated that his Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and
Consumer Protection (BMELV) opposes a precautionary vaccination of
poultry at the current stage, because current vaccines mask a possible
outbreak of the disease. He argues, that vaccinated birds can not be
distinguished from infected birds. In addition, he contends that the
current vaccine may prevent birds from dying of AI but will not prevent
them from spreading the virus. He does not oppose vaccinating birds in
Zoos, which do not have contact with other birds or poultry and never
enter the food chain. Seehofer announced that Germany will intensify the
research and development of new vaccines in order to eventually be able
to also vaccinate domestic poultry.

The BMELV opposition against precautionary vaccination under the current
conditions is shared by the German Poultry Industry Association
(Zentralverband der Deutschen Gefluegelwirtschaft, ZDG) and the German
Farmers' Union (Deutscher Bauernverband, DBV). On the other hand, the
Green Party and one member of the SPD favor the vaccination especially
for small holdings, poultry for breeding, and zoo animals.

# AI in a beech marten

On March 2, a beech marten (Latin name: *Martes foin*) was found with
clinical symptoms but still alive on the Island of Ruegen. It was caught
and killed. The FLI has confirmed the presence of H5N1 in the animal.
While the pathogenicity test is still pending, FLI expects to find the
high pathogen strain of the virus, because the animal was found in the
center of the AI outbreaks. If this is confirmed it will be to first
such cases in a marten-like animal world wide.

# Table: Confirmed H5N1 cases in Germany by State 

# as of March 10, 2006[^2]

  ----------------------------------- ----------- ------------------------
  State                               Wild birds  Other

  Mecklenburg-West Pomerania          150         3 cats,\
                                                  1 beech marten

  Bavaria                             11          

  Brandenburg                         5           

  Schleswig-Holstein                  5           

  Baden-Wuerttemberg                  3           

  Lower-Saxony                        1           

  Total                               175         4
  ----------------------------------- ----------- ------------------------

Source: FAS/Berlin based on information from the Federal Ministry of
Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection (BMELV)

[^1]: As a result of a reported suspected AI case, routinely, a 3 km
    protection zone is established for 21 days and a 10 km surveillance
    zone for 30 days.

[^2]: Includes cases with pending pathogenicity test