.
Probable H5N1 in Sicily Italy
Recombinomics Commentary
February 11, 2006
Italy is testing birds for the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus after finding "probable cases" of the disease in birds in the southern island of Sicily.
A health ministry statement said that "Tests are under way for probable cases of Avian Flu in our country," and added that Health Minister Francesco Storace would brief the cabinet on developments later on Saturday.
A source close to the laboratories carrying out the tests said they involved diseased birds from Sicily, and said results of the tests were expected later on Saturday or on Sunday.
The above comments indicate H5N1 has been detected in Italy. Italian media indicates that at least two infected swans are being tested. These results are likely linked to recent results for H5N1 infected swans in Bulgaria, Greece, and Cyprus. H5N1 infected swans have been previously reported in Croatia, Romania, and Askatran.
Recent sequence data from isolates in Nigeria indicate that the H5N1 identified there is closely related to the Qinghai strain that was first detected in May 2005 at Qinghai Lake in China. It has subsequently been found in Siberia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Tula, Askatran, Ukraine, Romania, Croatia, Turkey, Iraq, and Azerbaijan.
The latest result in Italy raises serious questions about the failure to detect H5N1 in adjacent countries in Europe, the Middlle East, and Africa. Moreover, migration of birds from Qinghai Lake to northern India casts more doubt on their continual denials of H5N1. Since the H5N1 positive bar-headed geese at Qinghai Lake in May 2005 originated in India, India's continued failure to detect H5N1 raises questions about the origin of the Qinghai strain.
WHO was given added authority to investigate infectious diseases with the potential to cross international borders. Use of that authority is long overdue as countries continue to deny the obvious, further endangering the world's health.
Map
Media Resources