Avian influenza
Questions on avian influenza?
The general public can now ring a telephone number to obtain answers to their questions about avian influenza: +46 771 44 20 00. The number goes to an information service common to all the agencies. Those ringing will be given personal service on weekdays from 09.00 until 15.00.
The aggressive form of avian influenza is a serious bird disease caused by an influenza virus.
The disease is extremely contagious among birds, and people too can be infected. Milder forms of the influenza disease are found naturally among sea birds and the virus can be transmitted via migratory birds.
For people to be infected by avian influenza, close contact with infected birds is necessary. Those people who have been infected up to now have been in very close contact with diseased or dead domestic fowls. The virus must mutate for it to begin to spread from human to human, and at present there are no signs of such a development. Nor is there any information showing that the disease can be spread to human beings via infected foodstuffs.
Current situation in Sweden
No cases of infected birds have been found in Sweden since the end of April 2006.
The responsible authorities are still maintaining emergency preparedness should the infection situation deteriorate. Swedish agencies and the domestic fowl industry are well prepared to prevent and fight the disease, and for several years have had well-tried and tested routines that they have rapidly begun to follow.
The issue is being followed continuously by the EU, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), (the UN specialised agency for agriculture, forestry and fisheries) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), corresponding to the WTO in the field of animals.
Agency responsibility
The general public can now ring a telephone number to obtain answers to their questions about avian influenza: +46 771 44 20 00.
The Swedish Board of Agriculture is responsible for communicable disease control with regard to domestic fowls such as laying hens and broiler chickens.
The National Food Administration is responsible for food safety. The National Veterinary Institute is an expert agency in veterinary medicine, whose tasks include assisting the Swedish Board of Agriculture with analyses and risk assessments with regard to communicable animal diseases.
