Theresa42
Well-known member
8/15/2006 6:45:00 PM
USDA: More Discoveries In Past Of Low-Pathogenic Bird Flu
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones) -- There have been more discoveries in the past of the low-pathogenic "North American" strain of bird flu in the U.S. than government officials had believed, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
It said the low-pathogenic virus - which shares the same H5N1 designation of the more virulent "Asian" strain that has killed humans - has been found several times in the U.S. by university researchers.
At a press conference Monday, the USDA announced that the low-pathogenic form of the virus had been detected recently in two wild swans tested in Michigan.
It said then that the low-pathogenic H5N1 virus had been found in the U.S. only twice before - once in 1975 and once in 1986, and that on both occasions it had been discovered in wild birds.
The virus also was found last year in Canada. But in an updated press release late Monday, the USDA said it is aware of more findings of the virus in the past and may learn of others. It named six possible discoveries of the low-pathogenic H5N1 virus in the U.S.
The USDA said it hadn't immediately been aware of the other findings because "there has not been a reporting requirement for low-pathogenic avian influenza."
But because of the "attention now surrounding low-pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, we could receive more information about previous detections," it said. Ron DeHaven, administrator of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said Monday that although the low-pathogenic strain of H5N1 doesn't threaten humans, it could evolve into a highly-pathogenic virus.
He said the H5 and H7 subtypes of bird flu can mutate quickly into a highly-pathogenic virus, "so the fact that we are dealing here with what looks like a low-pathogenic H5 virus" is reason for concern.
There have been no reports of discoveries of the highly-pathogenic "Asian" H5N1 virus in the U.S. This highly-pathogenic bird flu has resulted in 139 deaths around the world, according to the United Nation's World Health Organization.
-By Bill Tomson, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-646-0088; bill.tomson _at_ dowjones.com
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=60562
USDA: More Discoveries In Past Of Low-Pathogenic Bird Flu
WASHINGTON (Dow Jones) -- There have been more discoveries in the past of the low-pathogenic "North American" strain of bird flu in the U.S. than government officials had believed, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
It said the low-pathogenic virus - which shares the same H5N1 designation of the more virulent "Asian" strain that has killed humans - has been found several times in the U.S. by university researchers.
At a press conference Monday, the USDA announced that the low-pathogenic form of the virus had been detected recently in two wild swans tested in Michigan.
It said then that the low-pathogenic H5N1 virus had been found in the U.S. only twice before - once in 1975 and once in 1986, and that on both occasions it had been discovered in wild birds.
The virus also was found last year in Canada. But in an updated press release late Monday, the USDA said it is aware of more findings of the virus in the past and may learn of others. It named six possible discoveries of the low-pathogenic H5N1 virus in the U.S.
The USDA said it hadn't immediately been aware of the other findings because "there has not been a reporting requirement for low-pathogenic avian influenza."
But because of the "attention now surrounding low-pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, we could receive more information about previous detections," it said. Ron DeHaven, administrator of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, said Monday that although the low-pathogenic strain of H5N1 doesn't threaten humans, it could evolve into a highly-pathogenic virus.
He said the H5 and H7 subtypes of bird flu can mutate quickly into a highly-pathogenic virus, "so the fact that we are dealing here with what looks like a low-pathogenic H5 virus" is reason for concern.
There have been no reports of discoveries of the highly-pathogenic "Asian" H5N1 virus in the U.S. This highly-pathogenic bird flu has resulted in 139 deaths around the world, according to the United Nation's World Health Organization.
-By Bill Tomson, Dow Jones Newswires; 202-646-0088; bill.tomson _at_ dowjones.com
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/content.asp?contentid=60562
