Nigeria: new bird flu strain detected

Tests conducted by Nigeria and by the FAO show that the new virus strain - which is similar to strains identified last year in Italy, Afghanistan and Iran - is genetically distinct from other forms detected in Nigerian outbreaks in 2006 and 2007.

“It seems unlikely that wild birds have carried the strain to Africa, since the last migration of wild birds from Europe and Central Asia to Africa occurred in September 2007 and this year's southerly migration into Africa has not really started yet,” said Scott Newman, International Wildlife Coordinator of FAO's Animal Health Service.

He pointed to other avenues the virus could have taken to Nigeria, such as international trade or illegal and unreported movement of poultry. “This increases the risk of an avian influenza spread to other countries in Western Africa.”

Related Website
FAO