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Russia: Mass Mortality Event (Seals) In Caspian Sea Linked To Avian Flu (Updated 1/30/2024)

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  • Russia: Mass Mortality Event (Seals) In Caspian Sea Linked To Avian Flu (Updated 1/30/2024)

    Russia: Mass Mortality Event (Seals) In Caspian Sea Linked To Avian Flu



    #17,252

    In early December of 2022 there were reports in the Russian media of the discovery of a large number (700) of dead seals near on the coast of the the Caspian Sea near Dagestan (see map above). These reports quoted the Federal Agency for Fishery as saying:

    “The carcasses of dead seals in the amount of 650-700 individuals were found in the area from the oil depot to the mouth of the Sulak River,” the ministry said in a statement. They specify that the number of discovered animals may increase. The alleged cause of death has not yet been established. RBC sent a request to the press service of the regional government.



    A few days later, another report suggested the number was likely closer to 2500, and discussed the possibility that they had died as the result of oxygen starvation due to gas (methane) emissions due to seismic activity.

    A similar event two years earlier in that region had been attributed to that scenario.



    Today, a (translated) press release from the Dagestan State University states that an (as yet unsubtyped) avian influenza A virus was detected in the carcasses of these seals. They state that it is too soon to say whether the virus was the actual cause of death.

    While we've seen a number of different influenza A viruses infect sealsin the past - including H3N8, H10N8, H7N7, etc. - HPAI H5N1 is the most obvious suspect right now. Hopefully
    we'll get confirmation in the days ahead.



    First the press release, then I'll return with a postscript.

    BIRD FLU FOUND IN DEAD SEALS IN THE CASPIAN SEA

    Preliminary studies of the mass mortality of Caspian seals showed that the animals were infected with avian influenza. At the same time, it is too early to conclude that it was the virus that caused the death, research is ongoing, - said Alimurad Gadzhiev, director of the Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development of DSU.

    “Specialists from the Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development, together with colleagues from the Research Institute of Virology and experts from the Compass Foundation, took tissue samples from dead seals in December to determine the causes of death. Today, based on the first results, we can say that the samples gave positive results for bird flu,” the scientist said.

    According to Gadzhiev, in late spring-early summer 2022, on Maly Zhemchuzhny Island (one of the main Caspian seal rookeries in the North Caspian), a mass death of a wild bird from a highly pathogenic avian influenza of the H5N1 strain (safe for humans) was noted.

    “We think that this could have happened to the Caspian seal as well, as there is evidence that there is an outbreak of this strain all over the world. It kills animals, including marine mammals. Even bears in Alaska are dying from bird flu. The integrated seal monitoring program developed by our institute together with Compass will provide an opportunity to study the situation in depth and determine the reliable causes of death in the spring,” the ecologist added.



    Assuming this is H5N1, this would be additional evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission of the virus, along with its pathogenicity in marine mammals. Last summer we saw reports from Maine and Quebec of H5N1 infected seals, but the numbers reported were nowhere near the size of this die off.

    While we've not seen evidence of sustained or efficient human-to-human transmission of HPAI H5N1, each extended chain of mammalian transmission is another opportunity for the virus to improve its game.



    Stay tuned.

    https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2023/...-seals-in.html
    Last edited by Michael Coston; January 30, 2024, 08:40 AM.
    All medical discussions are for educational purposes. I am not a doctor, just a retired paramedic. Nothing I post should be construed as specific medical advice. If you have a medical problem, see your physician.

  • #2
    Update: Rosselkhoznadzor Unable To Confirm Bird Flu In Dead Seals - Russia




    #17,264

    A week ago, in Russia: Mass Mortality Event (Seals) In Caspian Sea Linked To Avian Flu we looked at the mass die off of (reportedly) 2,500 seals last December in the Caspian Sea, and a report from Dagestan State University stating that an (as yet unsubtyped) avian influenza A virus was detected in the carcasses of the seals they tested.

    While H5N1 was not confirmed, it was mentioned in their statement as a likely cause.

    In contrast, yesterday Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) announced they were unable to confirm those test results, and have asked the Dagestan State University to provide biological samples of what they tested.

    First the (translated) statement from the Russian agency, then I'll return with a postscript.
    In early December 2022, dead seals (Caspian seal, lat. Pusa caspica ) were found in the coastal strip of the Caspian Sea in the Republic of Dagestan.

    In order to conduct a survey, assess the epizootic situation and find out the causes of the case, experts from the FGBI “Federal Center for Animal Health” (FGBI “ARRIAH”) were sent to the Republic of Dagestan on an expeditious basis.

    The samples taken by them together with the inspectors of the Rosselkhoznadzor from the dead individuals were delivered to the FGBI "ARRIAH" and subjected to comprehensive studies.

    The pathological material was tested by PCR for the presence of influenza viruses type A and subtype H5, rabies, adeno-, parvo-, morbili-, capripox- and orthopoxviruses, SARS-CoV-2, as well as bacteria that cause pasteurellosis, mycoplasmosis, clostridiosis, chlamydia and brucellosis.

    As a result of the research, the listed diseases that can occur in the form of epizootics and cause the death of animals and birds are completely excluded.

    At the same time, on January 24, the Dagestan State University, citing the Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development ,
    reported that bird flu could be the preliminary cause of the death of the seals.

    Rosselkhoznadzor does not confirm this information. In order to clarify the circumstances that led to such conclusions, an appeal was sent to the indicated institute with a request to organize the sending of samples of pathological material to the reference laboratory for viral diseases of birds of the FGBI “ARRIAH” to confirm the diagnosis.

    So far, no response has been received from the Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development of DSU.



    Missing from this report are the collection dates for the samples tested bythe Rosselkhoznadzor lab (Dagestan University reportedly collected their samples sometime in December). It is possible that the samples collected by the Federal agency had simply degraded over time, and were therefore unable to yield a positive result.

    It is notable that the results for all of the `usual suspects' for an epizootic outbreak came back negative as well. Admittedly, an environmental cause is also possible.

    While we've seen HPAI H5N1 avian flu infection in seals before, outbreaks have never been anywhere near this magnitude. After the concerning mink-to-mink transmission eventlast fall on a mink farm in Spain, there is understandably a lot of interest in this case.

    Hopefully we'll get some definitive answers soon.


    All medical discussions are for educational purposes. I am not a doctor, just a retired paramedic. Nothing I post should be construed as specific medical advice. If you have a medical problem, see your physician.

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    • #3
      Updating the Caspian Sea Seal Die Off




      #17,886

      In early December of 2022 there were reports in the Russian media of the discovery of a large number (700) of dead seals near on the coast of the the Caspian Sea near Dagestan (see map above).

      Within a few days another report estimated 2,500 seal deaths, and discussed the possibility that they had died from oxygen starvation due to gas (methane) emissions due to seismic activity.

      A similar event two years earlier in that region had been attributed to that scenario.

      A month later, in Russia: Mass Mortality Event (Seals) In Caspian Sea Linked To Avian Flu, we looked at a (translated) press release from the Dagestan State University which stated that (as yet unsubtyped) avian influenza A virus was detected in the carcasses of these seals, although it was too soon to say whether the virus was the actual cause of death.

      In early February Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor) announced they were unable to confirm those test results, and had asked the Dagestan State University to provide biological samples of what they tested.

      Since then, Russian media has been filled with conflicting reports and opinion pieces on the cause of this mass mortality event.

      Some blame illegal and/or poorly run landfills, runoff from which have allegedly polluted the waters of the Caspian sea, while others have suggested gas and oil pollution or military operations are to blame.

      As Caspian seals are considered endangered, this has become a bit of a political `hot potato'.

      Again, last December we began to see reports of die offs of seals in the Caspian Sea due to `an unknown disease' (see sample below).

      Seals are again dying en masse on the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea

      December 14, 2023

      On the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea, mass deaths of seals from an unknown disease are again observed. Experts have caught dozens of dead seals in recent days. The Turkmen authorities ordered the military to shoot seals swimming to the shore. A Radio Azatlyk correspondent reported this on December 12.

      “Navy specialists are destroying seal carcasses caught at sea. Serving sailors are also involved in this,” said one of the local specialists in an anonymous conversation with our correspondent.

      About 10 days ago the COMPASS Foundation - which was founded in 2022 with the stated aim to `become the single coordinator of environmental activities in Russia' - published a press release where they describe a huge drop in the population of Caspian Seals in 2023, and once again indicate that avian flu may be the cause.

      The Caspian seal population is in critical condition
      19.01.2024

      As part of the program, from April to December 2023, 6 expeditions were carried out to areas of seasonal concentration and feeding of seals.
      During the expeditions, leading Russian scientists collected information about the size, age and sex structure of the seal population. The survey showed a catastrophically low density of seals in their seasonal places and a complete absence in the island rookeries in the spring, which is uncharacteristic during this period.

      For objective assessment and monitoring, 4 stationary camera traps were installed in different parts of Maly Zhemchuzhny Island. According to materials from August to October, only one individual was recorded on the island.

      The census results showed that the average age of dead individuals was 7.7 years - this indicates an increase in the mortality of young individuals, including pregnant females.
      In December, information appeared in the media about a new wave of dumping of dead seal carcasses. For a prompt response, the working group, led by Foundation expert Vladimir Lifantiev, with the support of the oil service company NaftaGaz, went on an expedition to the Caspian coast and the island of Chechen.

      Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor at the Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development of DSUAlimurad Gadzhiev, while exploring the coast, said:

      The population is not just in a critical condition, it has already passed that red line, after which it is unlikely to be restored in the near future.

      The main version of the death of Caspian seals, according to the scientific group, is their infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza.

      The Foundation took the initiative to include the seal in the list of rare and endangered objects of the animal world that require priority measures for restoration and reintroduction. Corresponding proposals have been sent to the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources, as well as to Rosprirodnadzor.


      We've certainly seen massive die offs of seals elsewhere around the world due to avian flu (see a few examples below), making it the logical suspect. But so far, we've seen very little concrete information on this ongoing event in the Caspian sea.
      Beyond the horrendous loss of so many mammals - and its unpredictable knock-on impacts to the ecosystem - each mammalian infection is another opportunity for this avian influenza virus to better adapt to - and potentially transmit among - mammalian hosts.

      Six months ago, in Avian Flu's New Normal: When the Extraordinary Becomes Ordinary, I wrote about the numbing effect that comes with the constant barrage of HPAI H5 reports from around the world.

      Things that were nearly unthinkable two years ago (e.g. Repeated trans-Atlantic introduction of avian flu from Europe, the proliferation of HPAI H5 across the length of South America, or the repeated spillovers of H5 into mammalian species) have now become commonplace.
      Although the future course and impact of HPAI H5 remains unknown, nature's laboratory is open and operating 24/7, which suggests that complacency is a luxury we cannot afford.

      https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2024/...l-die-off.html
      All medical discussions are for educational purposes. I am not a doctor, just a retired paramedic. Nothing I post should be construed as specific medical advice. If you have a medical problem, see your physician.

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