TORONTO: Canada has attacked Australia's decision to ban its bird imports because three racing pigeons were found to have unspecified avian-flu antibodies.
A senior official with Canada's Food Inspection Agency called it a knee-jerk reaction.
Jim Clark said there was no evidence the pigeons had been infected with the deadly H5N1 virus that originated in South-East Asia, but had not been found in Canada.
Dr Clark said Canada wanted Australia to clarify the unwelcome impression left by its reaction that Canada might have a problem with "bird flu" – which in the public's mind equated to H5N1 avian flu.
Blood samples from three pigeons in a shipment of 102 were found to contain antibodies to avian influenza Type A, a large family of viruses that are commonly found in some species of wild birds – though not generally pigeons.
Antibodies suggest the birds were once infected. But tests done before they left Canada and after they arrived in Australia showed the infections were not active.
Canada's Health Minister, Ujjal Dosanjh, said he would discuss the matter with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott this week at a pandemic flu meeting in Ottawa.
"I will raise this issue with him and we'll clear the air," he said.
