EU Bans Import of Wild Birds
peopleandplanet.net
18 Jan 06

The EU has decided unanimously to prohibit the import of wild birds in order to prevent the introduction of infectious diseases including avian influenza. As a result, as many as four million birds a year will remain in the wild, spared from the international pet trade. The EU passed a temporary ban on the import of wild birds in 2005 when a bird infected with the highly pathogenic strain of avian flu was found in a quarantine facility in the United Kingdom. The latest decision makes that ban permanent.

Up until 2005, the EU constituted 90 per cent of the world’s market for wild birds, importing some two million birds annually. Bird conservation experts estimate that roughly half of the birds harvested for sale in the EU died during capture and transport. Many of these birds, such as the African gray parrot and the scarlet macaw, are rare and endangered species. “This measure is a huge step forward for bird conservation and welfare, and much needed protection for public health and agriculture,” said Dr. James Gilardi, director of the World Parrot Trust.

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Rules on Protecting Herds from CWD Cost Some Farmers
The Associated Press (Posted by NBC 3 – WSTM.com)
19 Jan 06

The state's new regulations on preventing the spread of chronic wasting disease is costing some farmers. The regulations include higher fencing, increased animal identification and required testing of herds. According to the state, 433 farms care for about 10-thousand animals susceptible to the disease. Farmer David Vanderzee says he's spent about 1-point-5 (m) million dollars to comply with the rules.

Part of that money has gone toward raising miles of fencing at his farm in Washington County. Chronic wasting disease affects the animal's nervous system, and enters the brains of susceptible animals and kills brain cells.

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Lethal Secret of 1918 Influenza virus Unveiled
Zee News Limited
19 Jan 06

An international team of researchers has found a critical clue to how the influenza virus that claimed 50 million lives in 1918 killed so quickly and efficiently. Led by University of Wisonsin Madison Virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka, the researchers detected the virus’ ability to unleash an immune response that destroys the lungs within some days, and thereby leads to death.

The findings, published in the journal Nature, are important because they provides insight into how the virus was so efficiently deadly, and suggest that deaths may be prevented by early intervention if such an outbreak occurs in the future. The study "proves the 1918 virus was indeed different from all of the other flu viruses we know of," says Kawaoka, a professor in the UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, and at the University of Tokyo.

>>> FULL ARTICLE

Journal Article(s) of Interest:

Subclinical Infection with Avian Influenza A H5N1 Virus in Cats [free full-text available]
Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2007 Feb; 13(2): Epub ahead of print
M Leschnik and et al.