VZCZCXRO1027
OO RUEHAG RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ
RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVI #0696 0661659
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071659Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2633
INFO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1105
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA IMMEDIATE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS VIENNA 000696 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES/IHA, EUR/AGS 
USDA FOR FAS/CMP/DLP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KFLU ASEC TBIO SENV EAGR EAID ECON WHO AU
SUBJECT: AVIAN FLU: CATS IN AUSTRIA "REJECT" H5N1 VIRUS 
 
REFS: A) VIENNA 488  B) VIENNA 470  C) VIENNA 610 D) 05 
 
VIENNA 3865 
 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  On March 6, the Austrian Ministry of Health (MoH) and 
the Veterinary Director of the Austrian state of Styria 
announced that Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety 
(AGES) tests confirmed the existence of the H5N1 avian 
influenza virus in the saliva of three cats.  However, the 
MoH subsequently announced that further tests revealed that 
the immune systems of all three cats had rejected the virus. 
There are two areas of higher incidence of avian flu in 
Austria: in the south near the Slovenian border and on Lake 
Constance in the west.  End Summary. 
 
 
BACKGROUND 
---------- 
 
¶2.  Austrian Ministry of Health (MoH) officials announced 
late on March 6 that three cats, which initially tested 
positive for the H5N1 avian influenza, had subsequently 
rejected the virus.  The cats are all from an animal shelter 
in Graz, where veterinarians had cared for an infected swan 
in February.  At the time, several birds at the shelter 
became infected, and authorities culled all the poultry at 
the shelter. 
 
 
FOLLOW-UP ACTION 
---------------- 
 
¶3.  The Veterinary Institute in Vienna has quarantined the 
remaining 170 cats from the animal shelter in a separate 
location.  The Veterinary Institute is conducting tests on 
these cats, as well as on the other animals that remain at 
the animal shelter. 
 
¶4.  The cause of infection remains unclear.  MoH's Chief 
Veterinarian, Ulrich Herzog, said that the most likely 
explanation is possible contamination of the cats' food with 
excrement from the infected birds. 
 
¶5.  The government is recommending that, inside the 
protection and surveillance zones (within 3 and 10 
kilometers, respectively, of a site of known infection), 
owners should keep cats indoors.  Dogs within the zone can 
go outside, but only on leashes.  According to Herzog, at 
this stage, there is no need for further restrictions on 
pets.  The MoH considers the animal shelter cases "unique," 
because the shelter had not observed the required 
precautionary measures when it admitted the infected swan. 
 
 
AI UPDATE 
--------- 
 
¶6.  Herzog added that there are two "hotspots" of avian flu 
infections in Austria.  One is in Mellach, near the 
Slovenian border.  A hydropower station in the area attracts 
migratory birds.  The other area with a high incidence of 
avian flu cases is Lake Constance in the extreme western 
part of Austria.  Protection and surveillance zones, 
according to the National Avian Influenza Crisis Plan, are 
in place in these regions. 
 
¶7.  To date, the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety 
(AGES) has confirmed 36 positive H5N1 cases in birds out of 
800 tested.  As of February 19, federal ordinance requires 
that all poultry be kept indoors. 
 
MCCAW#