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AI detected in healthy Northern pintails, Ohio
Tests have resulted in an indication of the presence
of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) virus in Northern pintails, which pose
no threat to human health. Tests confirm that these wild birds do not contain
the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 strain.
The
USDA and the
Department of the Interior (DOI) are working with states to
test samples of wildlife birds for the
HPAI strain, throughout the US,
with the intent of finding additional cases of common strains of
avian influenza (bird flu)
.
As part of a wild bird monitoring programme, the USDA and
the Ohio Division of Wildlife collected 35 bird samples on 8 October, to be
tested for
H5 at the
Ohio Dept of
Agriculture Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Two of these samples were
sent to the USDA's
National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL), Iowa, where
tests confirmed that one was tested positive for both H5 and
N1 subtypes. This does not conclude that the birds are
infected with the
H5N1
strain, but
rather indicates that there could be two separate viruses, each containing
either H5 or N1.
Results are expected within three weeks to clarify whether
one or more strains are present, the particular subtype as well as to confirm
the pathogenicity.
Editor WorldPoultry
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