increased threat by avian influenza

From: Jill (news_at_REMOVETHISkintaline.co.uk)
Date: 06/29/04 

Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 09:49:33 +0100

There is a fair amount in the press today concerning the results of a study
published this week

part of the article in http://www.nature.com/nsu/040621/040621-13.html

Sick chickens

Chen and colleagues studied 21 H5N1 flu virus samples taken from apparently
healthy ducks, which act as a natural reservoir for the disease, in southern
China between 1999 and 2002. The researchers inoculated groups of chickens,
mice and ducks with virus samples taken from different years and waited to
see which animals became ill. Their results are presented this week in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences1.

As expected, ducks were immune to the virus's effects and the chickens fell
sick. However, the mice also became ill, losing weight and the use of their
limbs. Crucially, the severity of their illness was linked with the year
from which the virus sample was taken. Viruses isolated in 2001 and 2002
made the animals more ill than those isolated earlier on.

The findings hint that some time around 2001, the virus became adept at
infecting mammals. Genetic analysis of the same samples reveals that the
virus's DNA changed over that time, suggesting that accumulated mutations
may have contributed to the increased virulence.
Researchers are concerned that a virus that has acquired the ability to
infect mice could also infect humans. "The disease could resurge [?] at any
time," warns virologist Marion Koopmans from the National Institute of
Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, the Netherlands.

================

I understand there are plans afoot to encourage ALL poultry keepers to house
their birds during the wildfowl migration in certain parts of continental
Europe? 

--
regards
Jill Bowis
Pure bred utility chickens and ducks; Housing; Books, Gifts
Herbaceous; Herb and Alpine nursery
Holidays in Scotland and Wales
http://www.kintaline.co.uk

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