Posted on 03/06/2006 5:20:22 PM PST by neverdem
OZZANO EMILIA, Italy — As new outbreaks of bird flu have peppered Europe and Africa in recent weeks, experts are realizing that they still have much to learn about how migrating birds spread the A(H5N1) virus, leaving the continents vulnerable to unexpected outbreaks.
After new scientific research published in February clarified the role of wild birds in spreading the disease from its original territory in southern China, the virus promptly moved into dozens of locations in Europe and Africa, following no apparent pattern and upsetting many scientific assumptions about the virus and its course around the world. In fact, knowledge of how the virus is spreading in Europe and Africa is so rudimentary that experts say there is no way of predicting where it will strike next, although they are now certain that it will, again and again.
"We know next to nothing about this virus; we have only anecdotal information about where it exists and what birds it infects," said Vittorio Guberti, head veterinarian at the Italian National Institute for Wildlife here in a rural corner of northeastern Italy. He has been studying influenza in wild birds for more than 10 years.
"We don't even know where to focus. We have to sit and wait for the big epidemic to occur, and in the meantime there will probably be small outbreaks all the time."
Scientists do not know, for example, which species are the major carriers of A(H5N1). While they suspect that there may be a few areas at the fringes of Europe that are perpetually infected with the virus, they are not sure exactly where. And while they are convinced that the virus can be carried on trucks, on soles of shoes and in fertilizer, they are not sure how significant those routes are.
"Think about this," Mr...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
no way of predicting where it will strike next, although they are now certain that it will, again and again.
I wonder what this will do to the domestic poultry market here in the US?
How will our folks handle it when a government guy says kill all your birds.....
Do producers have insurance for this?
bttt
For First Time, Flu Spreads From Birds
Why New Vaccines are Scarce Comment 22 has links to the Danish articles which showed no correlation between thimerosal and autism.
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
ping
Could terrorism be involved?
I'm concerned about all the pigeons here in NYC. My great grandparents died in the flu epidemic of 1918.
Bump!
When will they say 'Open Season All Year Long On Canadian Geese'?
It was either in this article or one of the bird flu links in comment 4 where it was stated that this flu was not showing up in pigeons in Europe, IIRC.
No terrorism is involved. This is nature. This is what nature does.
They are trying to introduce Bird Flu as a weapon against the USA. That's the current goal. These types of weapons have always been hard to deploy.
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