Migratory birds and Avian Influenza (Bird flu)

[Ian May <>]

g'Day all

Thank you Denise Goodfellow from Darwin who forwarded a useful link with part of an email from Dr. Ruth Cromie, Head of Waterbird Biology Unit Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, UK.  Denise has given me the ok to pass it on.

"Dear Denise,

There has been a lot of work done over the years on avian influenza - with lots in the scientific literature. The avian influenza chapter of the following is useful:

http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/pub_metadata/field_manual/field_manual.html

Summarizing the information received and supported by my own search it appears that the current subtype of Avian influenza, H5N1 has not been recorded in wild birds at this point in time.   So far no evidence of it in wild birds yet, only from domestic flocks.   Furthermore, I was unable to find any confirmation that avian influenza's have crossed to humans from wild birds.

Moreover, it seems that when wild birds are infected by other bird flu subtypes, antibodies soon develop.   Wild birds may well be the source of effective antibodies to help fight a vir*us rather than being the source of the hazard.

The current scare about the dangerous strain of avian influenza H5N1 being whipped up by the world media; that migratory birds are spreading the disease appears to come from one unsupported statement by a Bangkok spokesman of the World Health Organization (WHO) Mr Bob Dietz who reportedly said "Migratory birds are what carry the disease".

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Regards
 

Ian May

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