Giuseppe
Emeritus
[Source: ProMedMail.org, full page: (LINK). Edited.]
[(IOH): A wild birds unexplained die-off could signal the presence of an highly pathogenic avian influenza virus so that an immediate and thorough investigation of this accident is needed to avoid possible spread of the disease among chickens and subsequent contacts with humans.]
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Published Date: 2011-11-13 10:36:58
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed die-off, avian - Tunisia: RFI
Archive Number: 20111113.3359
UNDIAGNOSED DIE-OFF, AVIAN - TUNISIA: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
*************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
[1] Date: Fri 11 Nov 2011 - Source: EcoloMagTunisie.com [in French, trans. Ronan Kelly, edited]
http://www.ecolomagtunisie.com/ecologie/malediction-touche-la-tunisie-mortalite-des-milliers-d%E2%80%99oiseaux-dans-des-conditions-mysterieux.html
Avian life in Tunisia has experienced a dramatic event in recent days,
following the mass mortality of thousands of birds (preliminary estimate of 10 000 birds) under mysterious circumstances. The circumstances are, at present, unexplained.
Several sources confirm a significant increase in mortality of wild birds in the wetlands of the north (Lake and Sabkhat Sejoumi Echkeul and Ghar el melh). Similar cases have been reported from Ontario in Canada, Falkoping in southwestern Sweden, Louisiana and Arkansas (USA), and now Tunisia.
Veterinarians are trying to find an explanation for this unusual incident that has appeared for the 1st time, at this size, in Tunisia:
Hypothesis 1: The System PBX (telephone network) is singled out because it generates magnetic fields that affect the nervous system of birds.
Hypothesis 2: Walking difficulties have been described among the symptoms. It seems that preliminary investigations are moving towards a conclusion of botulism. Botulism affects the nervous system, is often foodborne, and is caused by the action of bacterial neurotoxins (botulinum toxin) produced by _Clostridium botulinum_.
Hypothesis 3: These deaths are collective mortalities following the destruction of the ecological niche of some species by the action of pollution or urban development, which make the possibility of populating this environment close to zero or low.
Everything possible must be done by research organizations and Tunisian environmental investigation forces to decipher the mysterious event that threatens the birds of Tunisia.
[Byline: Hamdi Hached]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
******
[2]
Date: Fri 11 Nov 2011
Source: EcoloMagTunisie.com [in French, trans. Ronan Kelly, edited]
http://www.ecolomagtunisie.com/ecologie/communique-de-lassociation-%C2%AB-les-amis-des-oiseaux-%C2%BB-a-propos-la-mortalite-des-oiseaux-en-tunisie.html
"Observation of this phenomenon in Tunisia has now gone on for about 2 weeks [23 Oct - 11 Nov 2011]. The deaths of 500 birds have been reported in Ichkeul in Sebkhet Sejoumi in the region of Bizerte and Hammamet.
Several teams from the association "Les Amis des Oiseaux" and other birders have traveled to many wetlands (and other sites) in the north and south of Tunisia, and after heavy rains, we have found more unusual mortality.
We have no confirmed explanation for the thousands of birds that have been found dead under unusual circumstances during the past 2 weeks, but we expect an official communication from the authorities, especially with regard to the results of sampling done on dead birds and analyses of wetlands involved."
[Reported by: Claudia Feltrup-Azafzaf, Director of Projects at the AAO Association, Les Amis des Oiseaux]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[The episode apparently is taking place in wetlands, but there is no mention of the species affected, ages, or other important details of the outbreak. Given the acute characteristic of this die-off, it could be botulism or another toxin or contaminant, or an infectious disease.
More information on the die-off and on the current investigation is hereby requested - Mod.PMB]
See Also
Die-off, avian - Russia (02): (KX) wild bird, botulism 20110908.2736
Die-off, avian - Russia: (KX) wild bird, RFI 20110901.2674
2010
----
Undiagnosed die-off, avian - Russia: (KX) wild birds, RFI
20101001.3566
Botulism, avian - USA (03): (CA) 20100709.2294]
.................................................pmb/msp/dk
-Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed die-off, avian - Tunisia: RFI
Archive Number: 20111113.3359
UNDIAGNOSED DIE-OFF, AVIAN - TUNISIA: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
*************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org
[1] Date: Fri 11 Nov 2011 - Source: EcoloMagTunisie.com [in French, trans. Ronan Kelly, edited]
http://www.ecolomagtunisie.com/ecologie/malediction-touche-la-tunisie-mortalite-des-milliers-d%E2%80%99oiseaux-dans-des-conditions-mysterieux.html
Avian life in Tunisia has experienced a dramatic event in recent days,
following the mass mortality of thousands of birds (preliminary estimate of 10 000 birds) under mysterious circumstances. The circumstances are, at present, unexplained.
Several sources confirm a significant increase in mortality of wild birds in the wetlands of the north (Lake and Sabkhat Sejoumi Echkeul and Ghar el melh). Similar cases have been reported from Ontario in Canada, Falkoping in southwestern Sweden, Louisiana and Arkansas (USA), and now Tunisia.
Veterinarians are trying to find an explanation for this unusual incident that has appeared for the 1st time, at this size, in Tunisia:
Hypothesis 1: The System PBX (telephone network) is singled out because it generates magnetic fields that affect the nervous system of birds.
Hypothesis 2: Walking difficulties have been described among the symptoms. It seems that preliminary investigations are moving towards a conclusion of botulism. Botulism affects the nervous system, is often foodborne, and is caused by the action of bacterial neurotoxins (botulinum toxin) produced by _Clostridium botulinum_.
Hypothesis 3: These deaths are collective mortalities following the destruction of the ecological niche of some species by the action of pollution or urban development, which make the possibility of populating this environment close to zero or low.
Everything possible must be done by research organizations and Tunisian environmental investigation forces to decipher the mysterious event that threatens the birds of Tunisia.
[Byline: Hamdi Hached]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
******
[2]
Date: Fri 11 Nov 2011
Source: EcoloMagTunisie.com [in French, trans. Ronan Kelly, edited]
http://www.ecolomagtunisie.com/ecologie/communique-de-lassociation-%C2%AB-les-amis-des-oiseaux-%C2%BB-a-propos-la-mortalite-des-oiseaux-en-tunisie.html
"Observation of this phenomenon in Tunisia has now gone on for about 2 weeks [23 Oct - 11 Nov 2011]. The deaths of 500 birds have been reported in Ichkeul in Sebkhet Sejoumi in the region of Bizerte and Hammamet.
Several teams from the association "Les Amis des Oiseaux" and other birders have traveled to many wetlands (and other sites) in the north and south of Tunisia, and after heavy rains, we have found more unusual mortality.
We have no confirmed explanation for the thousands of birds that have been found dead under unusual circumstances during the past 2 weeks, but we expect an official communication from the authorities, especially with regard to the results of sampling done on dead birds and analyses of wetlands involved."
[Reported by: Claudia Feltrup-Azafzaf, Director of Projects at the AAO Association, Les Amis des Oiseaux]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
[The episode apparently is taking place in wetlands, but there is no mention of the species affected, ages, or other important details of the outbreak. Given the acute characteristic of this die-off, it could be botulism or another toxin or contaminant, or an infectious disease.
More information on the die-off and on the current investigation is hereby requested - Mod.PMB]
See Also
Die-off, avian - Russia (02): (KX) wild bird, botulism 20110908.2736
Die-off, avian - Russia: (KX) wild bird, RFI 20110901.2674
2010
----
Undiagnosed die-off, avian - Russia: (KX) wild birds, RFI
20101001.3566
Botulism, avian - USA (03): (CA) 20100709.2294]
.................................................pmb/msp/dk
[(IOH): A wild birds unexplained die-off could signal the presence of an highly pathogenic avian influenza virus so that an immediate and thorough investigation of this accident is needed to avoid possible spread of the disease among chickens and subsequent contacts with humans.]
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