WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

[Commonground]

[Link to original story is at the bottom of the post]
hat-tip Treyfish
WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB) has said that migratory birds might be responsible for initial introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Bangladesh, but ?not mainly responsible? for outbreak of avian influenza (AI) in the country.

Referring to a report published in the Daily Star on Monday under a headline 'Migratory Birds Responsible for Bird Flu', the WTB said the report based on a FAO-BLRI joint study is an ?obvious misrepresentation of fact.?

In a press release, the WTB said that the sensational headline and the leading line of the news report can only mislead people and be counter- productive to what FAO has been doing in Bangladesh and the world over to contain AI.

?The news report makes no mention of the fact that no HPAI has been found in the migratory birds in Bangladesh so far,? it said.

The WTB press release mentioned that HPAI has been found in only six cases out of 350,000 migratory birds tested all over the world.

The web-site of the Scientific Task Force on AI (http://www.aiweb.info) has up-to-date information on AI. It has found no direct evidence of contamination of poultry with AI by the migratory birds anywhere in the world, the release noted.
--UNB, Dhaka

http://www.bangladeshinfo.com/news/other_news_head.php?othid=46349

Published On: 2008-06-30
Migratory birds responsible for bird flu: Study

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=43552

[HenryN]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

[Link to original story is at the bottom of the post]
hat-tip Treyfish
WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country



The WTB press release mentioned that HPAI has been found in only six cases out of 350,000 migratory birds tested all over the world.

http://www.bangladeshinfo.com/news/other_news_head.php?othid=46349

Published On: 2008-06-30
Migratory birds responsible for bird flu: Study
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=43552

The propaganda campaign continues.

[HenryN]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Published On: 2008-06-30

Metropolitan

Migratory birds responsible for bird flu: Study

Staff Correspondent


Migratory birds are mainly responsible for the outbreak of avian influenza (AI) or bird flu in the country, according to a study report.

The report said that migratory birds might be responsible for initial introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Bangladesh Agriculture University, Chittagong Veterinary University, Department of Livestock Service and Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) jointly conducted the study from February to June this year.

The study involved phylogenetic, epidemiological and socio-economic analysis.

The research findings were presented at a seminar at BLRI in Savar. Former vice chancellor of Bangladesh Agriculture University Prof Dr MU Ahmed Chowdhury was present as the chief guest and BLRI Director General Dr Jahangir Alam presided over the seminar.

Dr Jahangir Alam said that from the epidemiological study, it might be predicted that after the introduction of HPAI in Bangladesh the virus spread to waterfowl and initially the native chicken and ducks might have been infected after coming into contact with the migratory birds.

Then the virus would have spread to commercial farms through poultry workers, poultry feed and medicine suppliers, feed and egg carriers and egg trays.

Socio-economic analysis shows that the poultry industry of Bangladesh faced a financial loss in 2008 due to the second wave of bird flu attack, which was estimated at Tk 3,858.31 crore. The affected farms lost their business and many of them were reluctant to go back to the production system.

The study recommended promulgating an ordinance to control movement of migratory birds throughout the country, except in selected locations or sanctuaries.

Early detection of HPAI virus, efficient surveillance and strict maintenance of bio-safety measures should also be ensured, it added.

At the same time, it is important to share information and undertake studies on HPAI bilaterally and regionally to minimise the risk of sustained endemic of AI in poultry in the region.

http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=43552

[Oracle]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

It might be prudent for the WTB to consider substantial evidence of frequent external reintroduction of new viral strains within specific study locations, in human seasonal influenza global circulation patterns. Not one, but several papers have independently stated this conclusion from exceptionally detailed genome and phylogeny mapping.

Wild birds travel in regularized, seasonal migration patterns, and so do humans.

Secondly, science reports have repeatedly documented polymorphic changes in viral genome sequences that can be mapped to distant locations, verifying that seasonal movement of avian influenza virus along migration paths.

In fact, if you zoom out on many of Niman's influenza outbreak event Google maps, you will recognize this virus travel vectorization pattern.

Localized spread of virus is probably enhanced by poultry distribution patterns, but the fact remains: rapid viral evolutionary change is continually being reintroduced into affected countries by migrating waterfowl (and to a lesser extent, by infected scavenger passerine, gullacious and raptor species).

Bangladesh is no exception.

[HenryN]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07070801/H5N1_Bangladesh_Migration.html

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Commentary

http://www.recombinomics.com/News/07...Migration.html

Commentary

Migration of H5N1 Into Bangladesh
Recombinomics Commentary 12:57
July 7, 2008

Migratory birds are mainly responsible for the outbreak of avian influenza (AI) or bird flu in the country, according to a study report.

The report said that migratory birds might be responsible for initial introduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI), Bangladesh Agriculture University, Chittagong Veterinary University, Department of Livestock Service and Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) jointly conducted the study from February to June this year.

The study involved phylogenetic, epidemiological and socio-economic analysis.

The above comments on H5N1 in Bangladesh are not a surprise. Although no H5N1 sequences from Bangladesh have been made public, media reports indicated the H5N1 in Bangladesh was similar to H5N1 in West Bengal. Sequences from West Bengal have also not been made published, but earlier outbreaks in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran were the Qinghai sub-clade 2.2.3.

The Qinghai strain was first reported at Qinghai Lake in the spring of 2005. Qinghai Lake is due north of Bangladesh, and migratory birds that winter in south Asia migrate to the Qinghai Lake in the spring, and summer in areas to the north in Siberia and Mongolia. The Ganges Delta in Bangladesh and West Bengal attract a variety of waterfowl, which would facilitate movement of H5N1 into both countries.

The involvement of waterfowl in the recent outbreaks provoked the standard disclaimers by conservation groups, which rely on negative data linked to minimal testing of waterfowl, or surveillance programs which target fecal samples or cloacal swabs, which have low or undetectable levels of clade 2.2.

In the recent outbreak in Bangladesh, dead crows tested positive for H5N1 as did one child. Crows also died in West Bengal in association with poultry outbreaks, but there are no reports of wild bird H5N1 in India. Testing in India is minimal, and only poultry has tested positive, even though resident and migratory wild birds have died in association with H5N1 positive poultry deaths. The reporting failures in India are common.

The migratory bird linkage to outbreaks in Bangladesh and India were expected. Release of sequence data by both countries would be useful.


.

[Oracle]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

"<i>A picture is worth a thousand words."</i>

http://www.werc.usgs.gov/sattrack/qinghai/overallmaps.html

USGS Satellite Tracking Project, Qinghai Migration Map

[mixin]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Compare to Niman's outbreak map.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ptab=2&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106484775090296685271.0004421e05585ace94799

I tried a number of times to match flight patterns to outbreak patterns and didn't get good enough matches to settle the issue in my mind. On Niman's India map, outbreak patterns go north and then turn west at the base of the mountains. It's my understanding the geese come straight over; maybe some species detour?

I always think I see trade routes in outbreak patterns... railroad tracks and highways.

[HenryN]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Compare to Niman's outbreak map.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ptab=2&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=106484775090296685271.0004421e05585ace94799

I tried a number of times to match flight patterns to outbreak patterns and didn't get good enough matches to settle the issue in my mind. On Niman's India map, outbreak patterns go north and then turn west at the base of the mountains. It's my understanding the geese come straight over; maybe some species detour?

I always think I see trade routes in outbreak patterns... railroad tracks and highways.

Only poultry outbreaks are reported. No one is testing wild birds in Bangladesh, Tibet, or India.

[Oracle]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Lateral movement in Southern Asia (Pakistan-India-Bangladesh) reflects drought impact and loss of former migration destination wetlands (much of it drained and re-developed recently).

[mixin]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Only poultry outbreaks are reported. No one is testing wild birds in Bangladesh, Tibet, or India.

I'm not sure what testing wild birds has to do with their flight patterns. And even when they do test them, you only accept the results that agree with your stance on the issue.

It seems that if flight patterns were overlaid onto poultry breakouts, we should see that they coincide. Then I finally could settle the issue in my mind. As it is, I can see where infected wild ducks could infect tame ducks and they, in turn, infect nearby chickens. Otoh, initial outbreaks in enclosed layer facilities operating under strict biosecurity guidelines don't fit that pattern.

However, As each year goes by and AI becomes more and more prevelant and deeply ingrained in the environment, it's probably not going to matter so much one way or the other.

Lateral movement in Southern Asia (Pakistan-India-Bangladesh) reflects drought impact and loss of former migration destination wetlands (much of it drained and re-developed recently).

So some of the birds are detouring. Did you compare the flight map you posted with Niman's map?

[HenryN]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

I'm not sure what testing wild birds has to do with their flight patterns. And even when they do test them, you only accept the results that agree with your stance on the issue.

It seems that if flight patterns were overlaid onto poultry breakouts, we should see that they coincide. Then I finally could settle the issue in my mind. As it is, I can see where infected wild ducks could infect tame ducks and they, in turn, infect nearby chickens. Otoh, initial outbreaks in enclosed layer facilities operating under strict biosecurity guidelines don't fit that pattern.

However, As each year goes by and AI becomes more and more prevelant and deeply ingrained in the environment, it's probably not going to matter so much one way or the other.

So some of the birds are detouring. Did you compare the flight map you posted with Niman's map?

If you haven't settle the wild bird issue by now, you should stop trying. The case was closed in the summer of 2005 when Qinghai was confirmed in Siberia and Mongolia.

[Oracle]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Niman's map is a poultry outbreak map - that's local dissemination. The larger scale of outbreaks maps roughly in proximity (sometimes VERY tightly correlated) to nearby bird/wildlife sanctuaries and known migratory staging waterways (identified through numerous birding society websites).

If you look at Niman's map of the outbreaks areas along the China Coast, from Far Eastern Russia all the way to the top of Indochina peninsula (you must really zoom out on his google map), you have the vector I mentioned.

You also see it in this H5N1 phylogeny geographical distribution map, although it doesn't show the N-S route between the northern Tibetan plateau and destinations in India-Bengal and Bangladesh.

http://www.pnas.org/content/104/11/4473/F2.large.jpg

At times, the spread of the virus has been so rapid, very little sequence change is apparent among geographically distant isolates (Tibetan steppes to eastern Europe, for instance) in 2006.

The grand irony is this: the seminal papers that provide stellar explanation of cause and effect for H5N1 long distance carriage of highly infectious H5N1 were written by bird ecologists.

Apparently those that decry the OBVIOUS evidence of carriage aren't reading these papers. NOT MY PROBLEM - they can tap dance out their explanations to funding agencies, when they are shown to be thoroughly CLUELESS as to cause-and-effect mechanics behind the rise and spread of H5N1.

[Snowy Owl]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

Niman's map is a poultry outbreak map - that's local dissemination. The larger scale of outbreaks maps roughly in proximity (sometimes VERY tightly correlated) to nearby bird/wildlife sanctuaries and known migratory staging waterways (identified through numerous birding society websites).

If you look at Niman's map of the outbreaks areas along the China Coast, from Far Eastern Russia all the way to the top of Indochina peninsula (you must really zoom out on his google map), you have the vector I mentioned.

You also see it in this H5N1 phylogeny geographical distribution map, although it doesn't show the N-S route between the northern Tibetan plateau and destinations in India-Bengal and Bangladesh.

http://www.pnas.org/content/104/11/4473/F2.large.jpg

At times, the spread of the virus has been so rapid, very little sequence change is apparent among geographically distant isolates (Tibetan steppes to eastern Europe, for instance) in 2006.

The grand irony is this: the seminal papers that provide stellar explanation of cause and effect for H5N1 long distance carriage of highly infectious H5N1 were written by bird ecologists.

Apparently those that decry the OBVIOUS evidence of carriage aren't reading these papers. NOT MY PROBLEM - they can tap dance out their explanations to funding agencies, when they are shown to be thoroughly CLUELESS as to cause-and-effect mechanics behind the rise and spread of H5N1.

Oracle and others, Wild birds are carriers and poultry smuggling are carriers.

Doctor Niman made it clear since 2005 in the Quinhai incident.

Poultry smuggling and railroad, pave road, and so on are carriers indeed, Migratory birds are carriers too.


Plain facts.

[gsgs]

Re: WTB says migratory birds not to be blamed for spread of bird flu in the country

AFAIK the viruses from Qinghai-lake and India,BDesh are different