A government vet is in hospital being tested for the avian flu virus after investigating the outbreak on a Suffolk turkey farm.

The unamed vet, in his early 60s, complained of feeling unwell after spending two days investigating the disease at the Bernard Matthews plant in Holton.

He is said to be suffering from a mild respiratory illness and is in an isolation ward at a central Nottingham Hospital.

The vet was one of about 12 state vets called up to help to track the disease and compile a report on the movements of people, vehicles and animals on to the farm.

A spokesman for the Health Protection Agency confirmed that the man was being tested for avian flu as part of a range of tests to find out the cause of his illness.

He had been provided with full protective clothing and had not been pre-exposed to the virus. He arrived at the plant on Sunday, after turkey chicks had started falling ill with suspicious symptoms the previous Tuesday.

The HPA spokesman said: “It is highly unlikely that the worker has been exposed to H5N1 because of the strict precautionary measures followed. As a precaution we are testing for H5N1.”

The test results were due on Wednesday.

Government sources said that state vets were relaxed about the incident and that the man had been persuaded to undergo checks because he felt a little unwell. He went home to Nottingham on Monday night and decided to seek medical assurances.

Few people even knew that a vet had been taken ill. At a meeting in Bury St Edmunds held by Anthony Greenleaves, who is head of the regional veterinary office, the case was not mentioned.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs confirmed that the vet was employed by the state veterinary service, but declined to give any personal details.

She said that veterinary staff, and other contracted workers on the infected premises were issued with respiratory protective equipment and extra eye-wear. They are face-fit tested to ensure that they receive maximum protection.

Professor John McCauley, an avian flu expert at the Medical Research Council, said: “There is no need to panic. The infecting of one person is not a critical event. It is if the person spreads it to someone and then on to someone else, that’s when it becomes critical.”

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