Fatal Bird Flu Infections in Javelinas in Arizona?
Recombinomics Commentary
February 25, 2005
>> Since November 2004, at least 35 javelinas have been reported dead by hunters and residents throughout the Tucson basin. The animals are suffering from gastric bleeding, diarrhea, runny eyes, and damaged lungs.
Officials with the Arizona Game and Fish Department say the problem is serious enough that they just earmarked USD 10 000 to get to the bottom of it. They haven't yet alerted the public because they're still figuring out what they're dealing with -- and haven't wanted to cause alarm.<<
The symptoms described above indicated testing for influenza may be warranted. The recently described H5N1 human cases in Vietnam presented with diarrhea before advancing to lung problems and support of avian and human influenza by swine is well documented. The javelinas were negative for hog cholera, which has many symptoms in common with bird flu.
There have also been recent deaths of greyhounds in Florida, which may be bird flu. There was a similar outbreak last year in Florida caused by H3N8.
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