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H5N1 detected in Mallard Ducks in Niagra County, New York. See link, below:
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Re: H5N1 Continues Its Spread
There definitely is a weekend shortage in October. -
Re: H5N1 Continues Its Spread
Wild-bird data gathered
November 05, 2006
ALBANY ? The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Thursday announced test results which indicate that a virus found in samples collected earlier this month from wild mallard ducks in Niagara County was low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI). LPAI has been detected several times in wild birds in North America and poses no risk to human health.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the presence of LPAI H5N1 from 2 of 27 mallard ducks collected from the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area in Niagara County on Oct. 21. This low pathogenic strain of avian influenza occurs naturally in wild birds and typically causes only minor sickness or no noticeable signs of disease in birds. These strains are common in the United States and around the world. Low pathogenic avian influenza viruses are very different from the more severe highly pathogenic H5N1 circulating in parts of Asia, Europe and Africa. Highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza spread rapidly and are often fatal to chickens and turkeys.
To date, USDA and United States Department of Interior (DOI) have announced 12 presumptive positive and/or confirmatory test results for low pathogenic avian influenza in six other states (Minn., Md., Pa., Mont., Ill. and Ohio). In all cases, there has been no detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in North America. As the expanded surveillance of wild birds for highly pathogenic avian influenza increases in the coming months, USDA and DOI expect additional detections of the "North American strain" of low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza. USDA and DOI is posting all suspected LPAI H5N1 detections on the Internet at http://wildlifedisease.nbii.gov/ai/LPAITable.pdf . A link is also available on USDA's avian influenza Web site at http://www.usda.gov/birdflu.
New York continues to work with USDA, DOI and academic institutions to sample wild birds throughout the state for the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Live birds as well as hunter-killed birds will be sampled. Only a simple swab is needed for testing so that live birds are not harmed through the sampling. To date, New York has collected more than 845 wild bird samples for testing. No other LPAI detections have been found. DEC continues to seek the participation of hunters in this effort and thanks those who have participated thus far.
Samples taken from loons and other birds found dead along Lake Ontario in recent weeks have also been tested for strains of avian influenza, but results to date have been negative.
DEC and USDA will continue taking samples throughout New York in the next few months.
Swabs are taken in the field and then sent to the New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University where they are tested for the virus. Sampling is expected to continue into February 2007 to reach a 1,600-sample-size goal.
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Re: H5N1 Continues Its Spread
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Re: H5N1 Continues Its Spread (birds)
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H5N1 in New York
Recombinomics Commentary
November 6, 2006
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the presence of LPAI H5N1 from 2 of 27 mallard ducks collected from the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area in Niagara County on Oct. 21
To date, New York has collected more than 845 wild bird samples for testing. No other LPAI detections have been found.
The above comments describe detection of H5N1 in mallards in Niagara County in New York. Since the announcement by the USDA on the halt of press releases on initial detections of H5N1, the number if locations reporting H5N1 has increased significantly. H5N1 in mallards have recently be reported for three locations in Grundy county, Illinois and St Clair Michigan. H5N1 has also been reported in Green winged teal Tuscola County, Michigan.
The recent frequent and widespread detection of H5N1 is cause for concern. The USDA table only includes samples that have tested positive for both H5 and N1. Media reports describe additional samples that are H5 positive. Although all H5 report thus far has been positive for low path North American H5, these isolates can add to the genetic diversity of HPAI H5N1 via homologous recombination. Moreover the H5N1 low path can mask low levels of Qinghai H5N1, which is frequently found in dead wild birds, but is rarely detected in live wild birds.
The H5 detected in a dead goose on Prince Edward Island raises significant concern about the Qinghai strain in North America, and the frequent detection of low path H5N1 increases the likelihood of recombination.
These sequences of these low path H5 isolates should be released.
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"The next major advancement in the health of American people will be determined by what the individual is willing to do for himself"-- John Knowles, Former President of the Rockefeller FoundationComment
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Re: H5N1 Continues Its Spread (birds)
Confirmatory results have been added for samples tested in Niagara County, New York.
No virus was isolated in either sample.
"We are in this breathing space before it happens. We do not know how long that breathing space is going to be. But, if we are not all organizing ourselves to get ready and to take action to prepare for a pandemic, then we are squandering an opportunity for our human security"- Dr. David NabarroComment
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