Illegal cock fighting heightens the threat of avian influenza

Star: IPOH: As long as illegal cock fighting continues in the country, the risk of bird flu spreading will be greater, said the Veterinary Services Department.
“Many of these birds are brought into the country from affected places like Thailand, where fighting cocks are bred. All it takes is just one infected bird for the disease to spread,” said department deputy director-general Dr Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin.
Dr Abdul Aziz, who was speaking to newsmen after launching a seminar organised by the Malaysian Society of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine yesterday, said he had been informed that cock fighting competitions were staged in Kuala Lumpur every Saturday.
“This is very dangerous. These birds spread the H5N1 virus faster than chickens,” he said, adding that the authorities should go after the culprits.
On the fight against avian flu, Dr Abdul Aziz said scientists should take their research a step further and consider a plan of action should the virus mutate.
“For example, if all the chickens in the country were killed, the H5N1 virus may mutate into something else and perhaps attack another animal,” he said.
When viruses begin to multiply in numbers, they may mutate or restructure themselves into something else in order to survive longer, he added.
“That is why we need a programme to work ahead on how to deal with new viruses that may suddenly hit us.
“What we need is a programme to deal with emerging and re-emerging viruses,” he said.