Scientists are tracking a deadly bird flu outbreak that has infected wild birds in more than 30 states. Purging the nation's poultry supply may not be enough to keep the virus from sticking around.
Waterfowl and the raptors that dine on them, like this bald eagle and snow goose, have both been killed by the new bird flu virus. is sweeping through wild bird populations in the United States, and that may mean trouble for poultry farmers who have been doing their best to control this flu outbreak in their flocks.
Scientists believe that wild migratory birds brought this virus to North America a few months ago. Since then, more than 40 "What that means for the virus in terms of how it evolves, how it changes, we just don't really know," saysThere has been only one known human caseBut since related bird flu viruses have repeatedly jumped into people in the past, public health experts are watching for any signs of genetic changes that could make the virus able to move into humans.
The CDC has been monitoring the health of more than 500 people in 25 states who were exposed to infected birds, says Davis. Although a few dozen people did develop flu-like symptoms, all were tested and none were positive for this virus.Wildlife experts have long known that highly pathogenic bird flus like this one were circulating in Europe and Asia.
"In addition, there's a host of other species, including black vultures and bald eagles and some of the other scavenging species, that were likely infected by consuming the carcasses of those waterfowl," says Richards.In Israel, when this virus hit an area where about 40,000 common cranes had gathered for the winter,"they lost a reported 8,000 of these birds over the course of a couple weeks," says Richards.
"Wild migratory waterfowl are always flying over the top and when they poop, that poop gets on the ground," she says, explaining that the virus can then get tracked into bird houses on boots or inadvertently moved from farm to farm on vehicles.
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