Beschreibung und Durchführung der Impfaktion bei Zoovögeln im Zoo am Meer Bremerhaven gegen Aviäre Influenza, hervorgerufen durch das Virus H5N1

The avian influenza A virus (H5N1), which causes the bird flu is latently present in populations of wild birds. The Bremerhaven Zoo is subject to an especially high infection risk owing to its close proximity to the North Sea coast and to resting places of birds. As an alternative to drastically killing all birds in an event of infection, a vaccination campaign was initiated in May 2006 as part of the “Program of the Federal Republic of Germany for the Vaccination of Birds in Zoos against Bird Flu”. The campaign is carried out in cooperation with the responsible authorities. This required formal approval of the authorities was subject to multiple conditions, the fulfilment of which required a large logistic effort. Some issues remained unresolved after the campaign had been completed. It is unclear, for instance, whether or not the applied inoculation is sufficient to immunize infected zoo birds and in which time intervals the vaccination has to be repeated in the future. The legal basis for the handing over of inoculated zoo birds to other institutions is published in the Federal Gazette.