Avian influenza found in South Carolina

[raingarden]

Is there anywhere this virus isn't present besides Antarctica?

It's not in Hawaii yet. We're waiting for the tundra nesters to return in August-September.

 

[3KillerBs]

what a nightmare it would be if it were permanent. Not only for chicken keepers and the poultry industry, but wild bird populations... I don't know a ton about this virus, but between it's adeptness at mutating and incredible level of transmissibility and lethality, that seems like it would have horrible implications for all US wild birds, as well as other countries. What are we even to do if that's the case?

It's the nature of viruses to mutate into less and less lethal variants.

Killing the host is a very bad survival strategy for a disease.

 

[Folly's place]

It's in the nature of affected species to have some survivors, who have some resistance, and who's offspring tend to have improved resistance to severe disease. The 'bug' doesn't have to change, it's the hosts who change.
As an example, measles, more of a childhood affliction in Europeans, and very lethal to native Americans when it arrived here. Other diseases, ditto.
Mary

 

[3KillerBs]

It's in the nature of affected species to have some survivors, who have some resistance, and who's offspring tend to have improved resistance to severe disease. The 'bug' doesn't have to change, it's the hosts who change.
As an example, measles, more of a childhood affliction in Europeans, and very lethal to native Americans when it arrived here. Other diseases, ditto.
Mary

Yes, it works both ways.

 

[Sally PB]

It's the nature of viruses to mutate into less and less lethal variants.

Killing the host is a very bad survival strategy for a disease.

It's in the nature of affected species to have some survivors, who have some resistance, and who's offspring tend to have improved resistance to severe disease. The 'bug' doesn't have to change, it's the hosts who change.
As an example, measles, more of a childhood affliction in Europeans, and very lethal to native Americans when it arrived here. Other diseases, ditto.

Or both. As @3KillerBs just said.

That article was scary to read, though. We have lots of geese in my area, as well as bald eagles.

I am doing what I can to keep my birds safe. I know in the back of my mind that they could all be taken from me some day. Until then, I will enjoy the eggs, the addition to my compost (poop!), and their company.

 

[NanaK]

Another case in a wild red fox in Alaska.

https://www.alaskapublic.org/2022/0...in-red-fox-and-eagles-found-dead-in-unalaska/

 

[raingarden]

Buzzards are said to have strong stomachs, but maybe not strong enough.
dead vultures in SC

 

[Brooks_]

With the warm season and not much AI going on in Fla, I had lapsed in looking at APHIS. Checking today I found that there have been 3 wild bird deaths in my county. Does anyone know if there's a way to find out where in the county they were found?

 

[RoyalChick]

Local news outlets is how I found that out in NJ and PA.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

It'd be great to know if they are still aggressively testing. Obviously the number of cases has to be significantly lower at least, but this goes along with my previous grievances in the lack of information being shared.