Here's a message that came in on another list. Not good news but
interesting. Although I'm from California, I don't know much about this
area, but isn't the Imperial Valley the area where they've been having
problems with toxicity due to runoff from the agri-business fields?

Peggi
>

>
>The fnding of botulinum toxin in live tilapia is interesting. I thought that
>C. botulinum type C protoxin was activated by decaying organic material
>and therefore the finding of toxin in live fish could be a "red herring"
>(pardon
>the pun). Has toxin been identified in bird carcasses and maggots since
>these are
>traditionally thought to be the main sources of toxin during the explosive
>phase of
>an outbreak?
>
>>Avian mortality from botulism Type C is ongoing on the Salton Sea in southern
>>California's Imperial Valley.......
>>To date, botulism toxin has been identified in about 40% of dead tilapia,
>but it
>>is not known whether the toxin formed in these fish ante- or post-mortem. In
>>addition, early results of testing live fish indicate that about 10% of live,
>>apparently healthy fish are carrying botulism toxin. Fish are the presumed
>>source of toxin for the fish-eating birds that are dying. It is not known
yet
>>whether other sources of toxin exist that may be available to the large
>numbers
>>of migratory waterfowl that are beginning to arrive.
>
>>
>> Linda Glaser, D.V.M.
>> Wildlife Disease Specialist
>> National Wildlife Health
>Center
>> Madison, WI
>_________________________________________________
>
>Dr Shane Raidal BVSc PhD MACVSc (Avian Health)
>Lecturer in Veterinary Pathology
>School of Veterinary Studies
>Murdoch University phone: +61 9 360 2418
>Perth,WA, 6150 fax: +61 9 310 4144
>Australia raidal at numbat.murdoch.edu.au
>_________________________________________________
>
>
Ben & Peggi Rodgers
Veneta, OR (near Eugene)
prodgers at efn.org
peggir at ori.org

"A bird does not sing because it has an answer,
It sings because it has a song"