New Strain of H5N1 Bird Flu Emerges in China
NewScientist.com
30 Oct 2006
Debora MacKenzie
A new strain of H5N1 bird flu has emerged in China that is poised to start yet another global wave of infection. Nearly three times as many Chinese poultry are infected with H5N1 now than last year, despite China’s insistence that all poultry be vaccinated. In fact, vaccination may be the reason for the increase in infections, researchers say.
Yi Guan and colleagues at the University of Hong Kong have been testing poultry in markets across southern China for flu for years, the only such long-term monitoring in the world. Between mid-2004 and mid-2005 they found 0.9% of market poultry were carrying H5N1, including 2% of ducks, a major carrier of the virus.
Between then and June 2006, however, they found it in 2.4% of market poultry on average, a near-threefold increase. It now infects 3.3% of ducks. The team found the virus in chickens during 11 months of the year, up from four previously. The reason, the researchers say, is a new “Fujian-like” strain of the virus, descended from one first seen in a duck in Fujian, China, in 2005.
Effect Measure- Influenza virus, Science Background, II [Instructional] ScienceBlogs
31 Oct 2006
revere
In the last post we discussed the dense canopy of sugars linked to cell surface proteins that covers most cells. This outer fur-like sugar surface is called the glycocalyx and plays an important biological role, including cell-cell recognition and communication, interacting with and binding of cells to the material that glues cells together (the extracellular matrix), altering or modulating the response of immune cells and proteins, and, most important for our purpose, protecting against or determining sensitivity to pathogens like the flu virus.
There is a lot of technical detail here that is probably more than most readers want to know. But there is a solid subset of readers of this blog who have a genuine appetite for being able to read the flu literature, and this is for them. It won't make you an expert, but it should help you understand the language.
Here's the short version. The last post explained what the surface of a cell looks like. Here we explain in more detail about one particular sugar on the cell surface (sialic acid) and explain the terminology for the different ways this sugar connects to the rest of the stuff on the cell surface.
Avian Influenza Surveillance [News Release]Scottish Executive
31 Oct 2006
Photo Courtesy of Scottish Executive
Surveillance patrols have started in 21 wild bird sites across Scotland. Minister for Environment and Rural Development Ross Finnie said: "Migrating water fowl have been identified as one potential source of the global spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Whilst the risk of introduction to the UK is low, the autumn surveillance programme represents an important part of our preparedness.
"The Strategy focuses on areas where water fowl are known to congregate. The sites have been identified on the basis of expert ornithological and veterinary advice. The surveillance forms part of an EU wide programme of surveillance designed to identify any further spread of avian influenza.
"The poultry industry continues to have an important part to play by taking good biosecurity measures to minimise the risk of disease passing into the domestic poultry flock." The package of work has been drawn together through the Scottish Executive working closely with other UK Departments and ornithological experts.
>>>FULL NEWS RELEASE
>>>DEFRA PRESS RELEASE
Belize Barrier Reef Losing Out to Global Warming
Reuters (Posted by The Penninsula)
31 Oct 2006
A rainbow-hued parrot fish nibbles on a veined purple sea fan in the tranquil waters of Belize’s barrier reef, the largest in the western hemisphere. But the fish stays well away from a large patch of dying coral, a white skeleton amid the bright colours of spectacular ocean life along the coast.
Much of the 320km of Belize's coral reef has been "bleached" in the last decade and some scientists warn it is likely to die, a victim of global warming. Reefs around the world are in peril with people damaging the delicate ecosystems and endangering some 1 million species of animals and plants that call the coral home.
Scientists estimate over 27 per cent of the world's coral has been permanently lost and at current rates of destruction, another 30 per cent will disappear over the next three decades. Reefs across the Caribbean have been hit particularly hard, making them vulnerable to deadly diseases.
Govt Urged to Place Moratorium on Moving Tas Devils
ABC News Online
1 Nov 2006
Wildlife park operators are calling for a moratorium on the movement of Tasmanian devils interstate and overseas. Two devils at the Trowunna Wildlife Park at Mole Creek tested positive for the deadly facial tumour disease last week.
It is the first time captive devils have become infected. The owner of the Devil's Haven Wildlife Park in Launceston, Dick Warren, says despite this, the Department of Primary Industries has since approved the transfer of devils interstate.
"Apparently there are 20 odd devils in quarantine ready to go and it doesn't matter how much quarantine you give a devil, if you don't have the scientific test to say it's clean or dirty, then how can you send them away?" he said.
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