i don't think anybody who has paid any kind of attention to h5n1 thinks its existence and spread has anything to do with wild birds. nor does the remote possiblity of any human catching h5n1 have anything to do with wild birds. virtually every human case has been in someone who works with factory raised (read: ihumanely treated) birds. this whole avian flu thing is a hoax perpetrated on us by the same people who brought us the swine flu back in the 70's. the same people are getting richer on it (e.g., donald rumsfeld). i doubt finding h5n1 endemic in non-migratory populations will have any bearing on proposals regarding controlling migratory birds to prevent h5n1 spread, nor will the knowlege have any attenuating effect on what sorts of 'protective measures' will be proposed by the folks spreading this hoax. on the contrary, it presents yet another new target for eradication, resident sparrows. sparrow 'population reduction' is probably being considered for the latest growth business to be proposed by the scare mongers who continue to harp on the danger to humans of avian flu. since it's already known that h5n1 exists in migratory birds they will continue to be a potential target of those officials who seem to think they can interfere with or predict mother nature. this is true whether or not h5n1 exists in sparrows.

if influenza makes a species jump, i very much doubt any epidemiologist will predict it. it will become known by its existence, which is to say by lots of sick people. lining the pockets of big pharma at this point to fight a nonexistent disease is just plain silly.

in the meantime, h5n1 will not represent a threat to any human other than those involved in intensive husbandry of birds in cramped, inhumane conditions.

regards,

dave tee
crazydave65atinboxdotcom
> -----Original Message-----
> From: drjna at att.net
> Sent: Wed, 8 Nov 2006 09:54:35 -0800
> To: tweeters at u.washington.edu, crazydave65 at inbox.com
> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Avian influenza in Sparrows
>
> 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]
>>>
>>>>
>>> *##########################################################*
>>> ************************************************************
>>> ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that
>>> are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the
>>> information, and of any statements or opinions based
>>> thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in
>>> using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID
>>> and its associated service providers shall not be held
>>> responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any
>>> damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted
>>> or archived material.
>>> ************************************************************
>>> Become a ProMED-mail Premium Subscriber at
>>> <http://www.isid.org/ProMEDMail_Premium.shtml>
>>> ************************************************************
>>> Visit ProMED-mail's web site at <http://www.promedmail.org>.
>>> Send all items for posting to: promed at promedmail.org
>>> (NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your
>>> full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send
>>> commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help,
>>> etc. to: majordomo at promedmail.org. For assistance from a
>>> human being send mail to: owner-promed at promedmail.org.
>>> ############################################################
>>> ############################################################
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Tweeters mailing list
>> Tweeters at u.washington.edu
>> http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters