Scientist doubts efforts to detect avian flu in U.S.
http://bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=152577&zoneid=500
Swine flu: How bad was the first wave? : Effect Measure::
U.S. Food Policy. Bird Flu Links. Avian Flu Diary. Avian Flu Talk. Bird Flu (Dr. Bob Gleeson) Revere: I think that I detect some level of hand waving, here.
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By Kevin Miller (kmiller@bangordailynews.net)
Monday, July 30, 2007 - Bangor Daily News
ORONO, Maine - A potential avian flu pandemic may have slipped from the headlines, but the threat is still very real. And one leading expert worries that U.S. efforts to detect the deadly avian flu strain may be subpar.
Avian2005 : Messages : 10752-10781 of 48492::
U.S. authorities failed to meet Ambassador Leo Wantas July 31 I detect a very different response to their behavior this time around, both in
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Land, Luxury, LeisureExplore Pacific Mexico :: who::
In fact, U.S. citizens have more chance of exposure to H1N1 flu at home: The In 2006, facing the avian flu threat, the United States chicken industry began
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Peter Marra, a research scientist with the Smithsonian Institution and the National Zoo in Washington, told fellow ornithologists gathered at the University of Maine on Saturday that health and wildlife officials may be focusing too heavily on migratory birds when looking for the bird flu strain that has killed nearly 200 people worldwide.
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U.S. Food Policy. Bird Flu Links. Avian Flu Diary. Avian Flu Talk. Bird Flu (Dr. Bob Gleeson) efforts to get a handle on the prevalence of swine flu
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Marra, a research scientist with the National Zoo’s Migratory Bird Center, said he believes officials should be paying closer attention to poultry flocks and imported pet birds as possible vectors for avian flu. To date, the H5N1 strain of avian flu has not been found in the U.S.
"Yes, I believe [migratory birds] are contributing, but I believe we have to look at these other pathways," Marra told attendees of the Association of Field Ornithologists’ annual meeting being held at UMaine.
Marra said he has spent considerable time urging federal agencies, politicians on Capitol Hill and White House officials to broaden monitoring programs for the H5N1 strain of avian flu beyond wild birds. But so far, Marra does not believe his message is getting through.
"Are we prepared to detect it? I don’t think so," Marra said.
There are many strains of avian or bird flu, the vast majority of which pose little to no danger to humans. But the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has killed nearly 200 people in a dozen countries since 2003.
Scientists also are concerned that H5N1 virus eventually could mutate into a form transmissible from person to person, creating the potential for a human flu pandemic.
Maine already is participating in a national program in which a select group of highly social birds — Canada geese, Arctic terns and common eiders, among them — are being rounded up and tested for the presence of H5N1. The tests are done without harming the birds.
Maine and some other states also are testing select birds killed by hunters.
Marra questioned the usefulness of tests on live birds, explaining that birds infected with H5N1 will either quickly die or develop antibodies to the virus. Instead, officials should be spending more time — and money — testing dead birds, he said.
The potential for spreading avian flu is 15 times higher among poultry flocks than among wild birds, according to data presented by Marra. While the U.S. does not now allow importation of live poultry, both Canada and Mexico still do. The U.S. also imported 45,000 exotic birds for the pet trade last year, he said.
Marra said scientists still do not understand the ecology of H5N1 as well as how the virus might spread through migratory birds. That’s because, while the migratory patterns of some birds are well known, many others are still unclear, he said.
The Smithsonian researcher also strongly criticized some countries’ attempts to control the spread of the deadly avian flu virus by killing massive numbers of wild birds.
"The culling of wild birds will never prevent the spread of H5N1," he said.
Marra’s presentation was one of about a dozen lectures or panel discussions held during the weekend as part of the Association of Field Ornithologists meeting.
Of course, no gathering of leading authorities on all things bird-related would be complete without bird-watching expeditions. Dozens of attendees from throughout the U.S. hit such popular bird-watching spots as Machias Seal Island to see puffins, the Scarborough Marsh and the Orono Bog Boardwalk.
The event’s host was UMaine and it was co-sponsored by Maine Audubon and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
"A lot of nationally and internationally recognized ornithologists got their degrees from UMaine," Rebecca Holberton, a UMaine professor and the organizer of the conference, said in a statement. "I offered to organize this a year ago knowing that it would not only be a good opportunity for professional and student ornithologists to see UMaine, but also a great time to see birds here as well."
The Smithsonian researcher also strongly criticized some countries’ attempts to control the spread of the deadly avian flu virus by killing massive numbers of wild birds.
Is anyone aware of reports about "massive" killing of wild birds? Other than reports out of Russia two years ago about some citizens shooting wild birds, I don't recall any "massive" kills.
Is anyone aware of reports about "massive" killing of wild birds? Other than reports out of Russia two years ago about some citizens shooting wild birds, I don't recall any "massive" kills.
These are pure propaganda pieces.
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Scientist doubts efforts to detect avian flu in U.S.