.
Bird Flu Suspected in Bahamas?
Recombinomics Commentary
March 1, 2006
Experts probed the unusual deaths of 14 birds on a southern Bahamian island to determine whether they marked the first cases of bird flu in the Americas.
The dead birds were found by a park warden in a wildlife reserve on Great Inagua, which has a population of about 50,000 flamingos and a large lake popular with migrating birds.
Ten flamingos, three roseate spoonbills and a cormorant were found dead in the park, authorities said.
The linkage of the dead birds to migrating birds is cause for concern. Although no H5N! has been reported in the Americas, there is indirect evidence suggesting H5N1 may have entered northeast Canada over the summer.
In the summer of 2005 the H5N1 in southern Siberia was widely reported, However, in August there were reports of new H5N1 infections north of the band of prior infections, suggesting H5N1 was migrating south from northern Siberia. Northern Siberia is in the East Atlantic Flyway and the north portion connects northern Siberia, northern Europe, and northeastern Canada.
H5N1 in northern Siberia would also explain the sudden rise in reported infections in western Europe due to wintering of birds from northern Siberia,.
H5N1 in the north would also explain the presence of North American polymorphisms in H5N1 in Astrakhan. H5N1 in northern Canada would also spread H5N1 into the Atlantic Americas Flyway, which could bring H5N1 to the Bahamas.
H5N1 in the Bahamas would suggest H5N1 is widespread in the eastern portion of the United States. Although poultry deaths have not been reported, there have been bird die-offs, which may involve additional H5N1 infections.
Updates on the testing in the Bahamas and CDC would be useful
Media Sources
Map