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Commentary
Fujian H5N8 Migrates to Butte County California
Recombinomics Commentary
January 5, 2015 23:00
This is a completely expected finding given migratory patterns. The bird was collected as a part of enhanced surveillance by USDA Wildlife Services. The CAHFS Lab has proactively developed a rapid test to differentiate the Korean strain from the No American strain. They obtained the preliminary positive yesterday and gave the alert to NVSL who rushed the confirmatory test. USDA confirmed Jan 1. Because this is an EXPECTED finding, no special notices are planned as of this AM. CDFA and local USDA staff will redouble their efforts to help backyard and other small producers tighten up biosecurity to the extent possible. We are also preparing for a rapid response to any incursion into domestic poultry in order to limit damage.
The above comments provide detail on the rumored H5 positive in a wild bird in Butte County, California. This post was date December 2 and more recent rumors indicate that H5 is Fujian H5N8 (clade 2.3.4.6). This confirmation significantly extends the migration of H5N8 to the south (see map) and suggests H5N8 may be in Mexico, as well as addition southern and eastern locations in the US.
The confirmation of H5 in California raises concerns of impacts on the California poultry industry, as well as other locations in the US hosting migratory birds during the winter. This finding also increases concerns for hunters, since Fujian H5 has caused fatal infections as H5N1 and H5N6.
Relatedness for the H5 in Benton Washington and Butte County, California, as well as sequence data on earlier isolates in the US and Canada, would be useful.
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