Actually, this is new information to the public. And it is important
information for the preservation of wild bird populations around the world -
why I posted it.

The fact that H5N1 is found to be present in resident wild birds (sparrows),
counteracts the claim that the major source of bird flu in commercial
poultry is from migratory wild birds.

In other words, it reinforces the idea that H5N1 is primarily spread to
commercial poultry from commercial poultry by the movement (legal and
illegal) of commercial poultry.

Not to say that migratory birds do not carry the virus, but some countries
in Europe and the Middle East have already slaughtered large numbers of
migrating waterfowl in an effort to prevent the spread of H5N1. If the
primary cause of the spread of H5N1 is from commercial poultry, then control
measures will be better directed at commercial poultry movements, and
perhaps millions of migrating song birds, waterfowl, etc will be spared.

Cheers
>^..^<
Julia N Allen
Seattle
DrJNA at att.net


----- Original Message -----
From: "dave templeton" <crazydave65 at inbox.com>
To: "Julia Allen PhD DVM" <drjna at att.net>; "Post Signtings TWEETERS"
<tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, November 07, 2006 12:25 PM
Subject: RE: [Tweeters] Avian influenza in Sparrows


so if you work in a commercial sparrow farm you might want to worry,
otherwise this is just the same old same old.

regards,

dave tee

crazydave65atinboxdotcom

> -----Original Message-----
> From: drjna at att.net
> Sent: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 11:10:31 -0800
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu
> Subject: [Tweeters] Avian influenza in Sparrows
>
> More info on Avian Influenza H5N1 - this time in non-migratory birds.
>
>
>
>> AVIAN INFLUENZA, POULTRY VS MIGRATORY BIRDS (36)
>> ***********************************************
>> A ProMED-mail post
>> <http://www.promedmail.org>
>> ProMED-mail is a program of the
>> International Society for Infectious Diseases
>> <http://www.isid.org>
>>
>> Date: 26 Oct 2006
>> From: Mary Marshall <tropical.forestry at btinternet.com>
>> Source: Reuters [edited]
>> <http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK216435.htm>
>>
>>
>> Chinese scientists report bird flu in sparrows [2004]
>> -----------------------------------------------
>> Chinese scientists said they had found the H5N1 bird flu virus in
>> sparrows 2 years ago, the 1st time it has been detected in
>> non-migratory birds in China, Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday
>> [26 Oct 2006]. Researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, in the
>> central province of Hubei, found the virus in sparrows' excrement
>> following an outbreak of bird flu in a county in neighboring Henan
>> province [see ProMED 2004 archive below]. "There's no need for the
>> public to panic. The findings are 2 years old, and there is no
>> indication that sparrows pose a risk," Xinhua quoted Li Tianxian, a
>> researcher at the institute, as saying.
>>
>> Chinese officials have in the past blamed outbreaks of bird flu in
>> the country on migratory birds, but the findings indicate that the
>> virus could also be among local birds common in urban areas.
>>
>> With the world's largest poultry population, China is seen as a
>> center in the fight against bird flu, which scientists fear could
>> mutate into a form that can pass easily between people, potentially
>> causing a pandemic. The country has already seen dozens of outbreaks
>> of the virus in birds and at least 21 human cases, of whom 14 have died.
>>
>> --
>> ProMED-mail
>> <promed at promedmail.org>
>>
>> [This news item reinforces the idea that the major sources for this
>> infection are domestic. - Mod.MHJ]
>>
>>>
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