ProMED comments on UK bird flu positive parrot

The ProMED editor "AS" has some interesting commentary (mid-way down the piece) on the recent discovery of an avian influenza-positive parrot in quarantine in the UK:

"Interestingly, H5N1 was detected last week in pet birds smuggled 
from China to Taiwan. This has happened before as well, and is a  
clear indication of significant disease risk related to contacts with 
pet-birds originating or passing through that part of the world. In 
this context, the current call of the UK government for a ban on all 
 wild bird imports into the EU, echoed in European press, makes sense. 
If such policy is applied, it must go hand-in-hand with severe 
measures to prevent smuggling which is expected to increase.

International trade in pet-birds is a multi-billion global industry;  
veterinary inspection upon this trade is a complex, laborious and 
expensive task. Consignments, sometimes, pass through intermediate 
stations where contacts with other consignments might occur.

The parrot died more than 30 days after arrival; the incubation of  
avian influenza is considered to be not longer than 7 days. It is 
thus unlikely that it came to the UK infected. We are looking forward 
to the outcome of the UK investigation into the origin of infection 
in this case. 

Besides the legal trade in wild animals, there is a huge illegal 
trade. National inspection authorities are obliged to deal with 
smuggling attempts, from single travelers hiding one or several pets 
in their personal luggage up to organized crime dealing with  
large-scale smuggled consignments applying sophisticated methods. 
There are daily confiscations everywhere, but -- unfortunately -- 
most illegal consignments are considered to reach their destinations 
undetected. The black market in illegal animal products, estimated by  
Interpol to be worth USD 6 to 10 billion annually (2nd only to the 
illegal drug trade), threatens the health of humans and may lead to 
the extinction of many species of animals. - Mod.AS"

Damien