Information received on 20 September 2006 from Dr Ahmed Tawfik Mohamed, Chairman of the General Organization for Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture, Cairo:

End of previous report period: 10 August 2006 (see Disease Information, 19 [33], 606, dated 17 August 2006).

End of this report period: 20 September 2006.

Identification of agent: highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1.

Date of first confirmation of the event: 17 February 2006.

Date of start of the event: 17 February 2006.

Clinical disease: yes.

Nature of diagnosis: clinical and laboratory.

New outbreaks:

Affected population: backyard poultry.

Diagnosis:

Source of new outbreaks: unknown or inconclusive.

Control measures applied:

- stamping out;

- movement control inside the country;

- screening;

- vaccination;

- disinfection of infected premises/establishment(s).

Vaccination in response to the outbreaks:

* total number since the start of the vaccination programme.

Treatment of affected animals: no.

Vaccination prohibited: no.

Final report: no.

(1) RT-PCR: reverse transcriptase - polymerase chain reaction