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Approximately 220 flamingos were found dead in Catamarca state. An outbreak of avian influenza, also known as bird flu, has occurred in northwestern Argentina, officials told local media.
Avian influenza is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease that spreads naturally through wild waterfowl, including: ducks, geese, swansHowever, other bird species such as poultry may also be infected. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
H5N1 avian influenza has been circulating in more than 80 countries since 2022. According to the World Health Organization, and experts are concerned about the ongoing effects across the continent. According to the WHO, H5N1 is the main version causing problems in the Americas and Europe, and the disease is continuously mutating, so several subtypes of the virus have been reported.
Around the world, outbreaks of avian influenza have been reported in various mammals such as seals and farmed mink, H5N1 viruses have been detected in domestic cats and dogs, and a small number of cases have also been reported in humans.
At this time, there are no effective treatments for the virus. New York State Wildlife Health Program.
The infected species is known as the James flamingo (Phoenicoparrus jamesi) or Puna flamingo, and is one of three species of flamingo found in northwestern Argentina.Birds are at risk of spreading disease Moving to a new area.
According to , the H5N1 strain initially spread from North America to South America within three months via migratory birds. Dr. Joanna Harveya postdoctoral fellow in Environmental Science and Technology at the University of Maryland, is studying this strain.
Harvey added that flamingos are known to transmit the virus, with just one infected bird transmitting the virus to the entire flock within a few days. very sociableA social animal that lives in large groups.
The H5N1 strain poses a low risk to humans. Since December 2021, 11 cases of this strain have been reported worldwide. According to the CDC. But experts are closely monitoring the spread of the deadly pathogen to other mammals, as was the case in August when more than 50 dead sea lions were discovered in Argentina. due to virus infection.
“My concern is that this infection is present in many bird species, and birds clearly continue to carry this infection, but it’s not going away…and these The cumulative effect of these deaths on the population, and potentially on the (species as a whole), is huge,” Harvey said. “I believe the true scale of the losses here is not well understood and well documented, because it’s really difficult.”
In this latest outbreak, Catamarca State Biodiversity Director Anabela Ahumada told local media that three out of six samples taken from dead birds tested positive for H5N1. The cause of death for hundreds of flamingos was confirmed to local media. SenasaArgentina’s National Food Safety and Quality Authority.
Ahumada told local media outlet Catamarca 12 that park officials have found high bird mortality near the Laguna Grande and Laguna Diamante waters. The state has been under epidemiological surveillance since early November, Catamarca 12 reported.
The Argentine government advises against contact with sick or dead birds without proper protection.
As infection rates continue to rise, zoos across the U.S. are moving captive birds indoors. In 2022, facilities such as the Pittsburgh Zoo, Denver Zoo, and Maryland Zoo moved their birds indoors, away from humans and other wildlife. Last month, the Dallas Zoo moved its flamingos indoors. NBC 5 in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area reported..
The virus is spread through the saliva, mucus, and feces of infected birds. According to the CDC. Among mammals, some carrion-eating species came into contact with the virus by eating the carcasses of infected birds, Harvey said.
“As long as humans interact with wild birds, there doesn’t seem to be a big risk to wild birds. The number of human infections remains low globally, so we’re not too worried about that,” he said. Dr. Kristen Schuler, is an assistant professor in the Department of Public Health and Ecosystem Health at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, New York. “However, the potential for mutation and widespread distribution of this virus are major risk factors.”
James’ flamingo designated as ‘near endangered’ International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species; Schuler pointed out: According to IUCN, the main threats to the bird include habitat loss due to mining and human disturbance due to recreational activities. Schuler said if the virus affects bird species already suffering from declining populations, it could wipe out the species.
Although there isn’t much that can be done to stop the spread of the virus, Schuler urges people to report unusual animal deaths with no apparent cause to state wildlife departments and let them know where the disease is spreading. I recommend it.
“If there’s any chance we can do something about it, our best option is from the beginning,” Schuler said.