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NSW Arbovirus Surveillance & Vector Monitoring Program |  |
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NSW Arbovirus Surveillance & Vector Monitoring Program | |
 1999 - 2000
Annual Report  |
SENTINEL
CHICKEN FLOCK PROGRAM
Sentinel
chicken flocks of 15 birds were deployed at nine locations this season including Bourke, Condobolin, Deniliquin, Forbes, Leeton,
Macquarie Marshes, Menindee and two flocks in the Griffith area. Regular testing started in
November and the birds were bled weekly and tested for the presence of flavivirus
antibody. If birds became positive (i.e. seroconverted) to a flavivirus, additional tests
were performed to determine whether the infection was due to MVE or KUN. Most results were
available within a week of receipt of the specimen. Reports are faxed to the public health
units and included on the NSW Arbovirus Surveillance web site.
The
number of chicken flocks was increased this year to nine, with eight surveillance
locations. Due to the MVE activity in central
Australia and the high rainfall in the northwest, testing of the flocks at Bourke, Menindee and Macquarie Marshes
was extended through May. There
were no seroconversions detected this season in the flocks.
A
workshop was held at Westmead Hospital in 1999 for the flock handlers to discuss
laboratory aspects of the sentinel program, the proper housing and handling of chickens,
and ethical implications of using animals in a sentinel surveillance system.
