H5N1 Confirmed in Ninth Swan in Dorset England
Recombinomics Commentary 14:08
February 1, 2008
Defra has today confirmed that another two dead wild mute swans, collected on 28 January as part of wild bird surveillance in the same area in Dorset have tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza.
As described in the recent epidemiology report, evidence suggests that the level of infection in the mute swan population is low
The above comments confirm the detection of H5N1 in two more mute swans. The collection date extends the time frame for H5N1 infected mute swans in the area to more than a month (see satellite map), adding additional evidence that H5N1 is widespread and diverse in the wild bird population in England.
The genetic divergence reported for the first four swans indicated that infections were not from a common source. Moreover, the failure to detect H5N1 in live wild birds confirms the low sensitivity of the assays and procedures used in the surveillance program.
The evidence suggests the detection is low because of the procedures and assays, not because the level of H5N1 infection in the mute swan population is low.
DEFRA continues to withhold the sequences from the isolates, which will clearly show that the genetic diversity in the wild birds is high.
H5N1 readily crosses species barriers, especially in bird populations. The failure to detect H5N1 in other species further supports the low sensitivity of the surveillance program.
Release of the sequences would allow the data to be independently and scientifically evaluated.
Repeated propaganda on low H5N1 levels in wild birds in England is not useful.
Media Links
Recombinomics Presentations
Recombinomics Publications
Recombinomics Paper at Nature Precedings