Confirmatory Tests Being Conducted on Maryland Wild Bird Fecal Samples
USDA
01 Sep 2006
The U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Interior today announced that the presence of the H5N1 avian influenza subtype has been detected in fecal samples from wild birds in Maryland. Testing has ruled out the possibility of this being the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain that has spread through birds in Asia, Europe and Africa. Test results thus far indicate this is low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI), which poses no threat to human health.
The fecal samples were collected on August 2 from resident wild ducks in Queen Anne’s County, Maryland, as part of a research project conducted by Ohio State University. The fecal samples came from mallards that showed no signs of sickness, which also suggests that this is LPAI.
Because of the nature of the research project and because there was no sign of illness in the birds, the samples were not prioritized for testing. On August 24, 2006, USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa received the samples.
Mass. Boy Dies from Mosquito-borne Virus
Associated Press (Posted by news.yahoo.com)
01 Sep 2006
A 9-year-old boy from Middleborough died Thursday from eastern equine encephalitis, the first fatality from the mosquito-borne virus in the state this year. John Fontaine developed a fever Aug. 18 and was hospitalized two days later. He died Thursday afternoon, said Christine Powers-Perry, a spokeswoman for Children's Hospital in Boston.
The grade school student played youth football and was "like every other 9-year-old. Happy to be there. A joy to be around. Fun to watch grow," said Jim Muirhead, the program director for Mitchell Memorial Club Youth Football and Cheerleading program.
Middleborough was among the communities in southeastern Massachusetts that have undergone two rounds of aerial spraying to kill the mosquitoes that carry the virus. The first round of spraying Aug. 8 reduced the mosquito population by at least 60 percent, officials said.
CWD Testing Returns to West-central Wisconsin
River Valley Outdoors.com
01 Sep 2006
Jerry Davis
Firearm deer hunters may remember a few years ago when the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and University of Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory sampled and tested deer for chronic wasting disease in west-central Wisconsin. It’s time to test deer in this 19-county region again. This year the DNR hopes to test more deer, making sure surveillance is more complete.
“If we can get about 500 samples per county, we could say with 95 percent confidence that the disease is or is not here,” said Ron Lichtie, DNR wildlife biologist in La Crosse. Rather than DNR folks collecting samples, Lichtie said the DNR has arranged to have some meat processors, taxidermists and conservation groups also collect tissues that include a retropharngeal lymph node, near the brain.
The DNR is particularly interested in testing deer taken near game farms in Crawford and Portage counties, where penned deer have tested positive for CWD. Registration stations and sample collection sites will be publicized before opening of the archery season on Saturday, Sept. 16.
Agriculture Officials Seek Data from Owners of Poultry Flocks
Statesman Journal
04 Sep 2006
Michael Rose
In a measure to guard against bird flu, Oregon agriculture officials are asking owners of small poultry flocks to provide basic contact information. Agriculture officials have detailed information about the state's commercial poultry farms, but the exact numbers and locations of so-called backyard flocks is unknown.
Now, the threat of bird flu is prompting the Oregon Department of Agriculture to better monitor all types of domestic birds -- including ducks, chickens and emus -- kept by owners of non-commercial poultry. "This information will be used by ODA to give bird owners early warning about avian influenza and to locate at-risk flocks as quickly as possible to stop an outbreak," state veterinarian Don Hansen said.
The information requested includes the names of bird owners, addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses and the total number of birds. The inventory is at www.oda.state.or.us. The link is under "Avian Influenza."
Bird Flu: A New Sampling Campaign is Planned in Africa
Innovations Report
04 Sep 2006
Asia, Europe, Africa... The bird flu epidemic has not needed a passport to cross borders, but has almost certainly required a vector. What sort? This is one of the questions that is still bothering researchers. Migrating wild birds have been at the heart of the debate on the matter ever since the crisis began. However, we also know that legal and illegal trade circuits play a major role in disease spread within countries.
For Emmanuel Camus, Director of CIRAD's Animal Production and Veterinary Medicine Department, "both types of vector are suspected. The balance may swing one way or the other, depending on the situation ".
While legal trade circuits are more or less familiar, it will be less easy to evaluate the role of illegal circuits. As regards the role of migrating wild birds, an initial campaign of 5000 samples has been conducted by CIRAD, in conjunction with the NGO Wetlands International and the FAO, in 14 countries since January 2006.
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