Re: Ecologic Immunology of Avian Influenza (H5N1) in Migratory Birds
The example above is a good one. However, one of the major problems with questions focusing on single species is the assumption that H5N1 movement is via a single bird or species. It is the equivalent of asking which runner won the relay race. Although no one runner carried the baton the whole distance, the baton did make it from start to finish.
There are many examples of H5N1 spreading out to multiple species, which can be seen at the start and finish. At Qinghai Lake, the first 178 dead birds were bar-headed geese. However, by the time the OIE report was filed on 519 dead birds, there were at least 5 species (two geese, two gulls, and a cormorant) infected. Thus, at Qinghai Lake, H5N1 could fly off in many directions.
This species spread was also seen at Kelbra Lake in Germany. The vast majority of the 300 dead birds with confirmed Qinghai H5N1 were black necked grebes. However, also included were much smaller numbers of great crested grebes, little grebes, gulls, and at least one coot.
Even the dead birds don't fly crowd in Bangkok this past week acknowledged that H5N1 had been found in 90 species (which is also pretty clear from the list of H5N1 isolates).
Maps of major flyways are well known, and by definition, the major flyways show migration patterns of multiple species. The flyways overlap and the areas of overlap are areas where Qinghai H5N1 is found.
H5N1 knows how to get around, with or without denials by the "dead birds don't fly" crowd.
Originally posted by gsgs
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There are many examples of H5N1 spreading out to multiple species, which can be seen at the start and finish. At Qinghai Lake, the first 178 dead birds were bar-headed geese. However, by the time the OIE report was filed on 519 dead birds, there were at least 5 species (two geese, two gulls, and a cormorant) infected. Thus, at Qinghai Lake, H5N1 could fly off in many directions.
This species spread was also seen at Kelbra Lake in Germany. The vast majority of the 300 dead birds with confirmed Qinghai H5N1 were black necked grebes. However, also included were much smaller numbers of great crested grebes, little grebes, gulls, and at least one coot.
Even the dead birds don't fly crowd in Bangkok this past week acknowledged that H5N1 had been found in 90 species (which is also pretty clear from the list of H5N1 isolates).
Maps of major flyways are well known, and by definition, the major flyways show migration patterns of multiple species. The flyways overlap and the areas of overlap are areas where Qinghai H5N1 is found.
H5N1 knows how to get around, with or without denials by the "dead birds don't fly" crowd.
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