According to an October 1st ProMED posting, authorities in Laos reported a diagnosis of H5N1 avian influenza affecting a flock of 400 chickens. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is endemic in Laos and adjoining nations and will persist given that a high proportion of the rural population estimated at 5 million, maintain poultry under subsistence and semi-commercial conditions with live-bird marketing and distribution through wet markets.
The population of chickens and ducks in Laos is estimated at 20 million with 80 percent in subsistence village flocks.