Avian Pox, Penguins

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   Ok This might be nothing to do with H5N1 then again it could.
Either way were going to loose a few species of bird in the near future and its a damn shame 

AVIAN POX VIRUS, PENGUINS - FALKLAND ISLANDS
********************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Tue 21 Feb 2006
From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org>
Source: MercoPress.com [edited]
<http://www.mercopress.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=7267>

Suspected pox kills 200 penguins
--------------------------------
An unidentified illness has killed penguins in the Port Stephens area
of West Falkland. In the past week, approximately 200 gentoo penguins
and chicks have died at the rookeries at Ten Shilling Bay and Port
Stephens Peak. Penguins with similar signs have also been reported
from New Island and Albemarle.

Grant Munro said initial indications are that the disease is an
"avian pox virus."

The penguins appear weak and have wart-like lesions predominantly on
their feet, flippers and around the eyes and beak; however, on badly
affected animals, lesions may occur all over the body.

Grant said that the "eyes may be inflamed with a milky covering over
the front of the eye and a dry crusty excretion around the eye; in
severely affected animals, the eye may be protruding or alternatively
completely closed if swollen lesions occur close to the eye. The
illness affects both chicks and adults."

Peter and Ann Robertson, who have been monitoring the situation,
collected 2 of the affected animals, which were picked up by
Falklands Conservation and sent into the Veterinary Department for
diagnosis and autopsy.

Gidona Goodman, a specialist in exotic animal medicine at Edinburgh
University and wildlife vet at Edinburgh Zoo, who visited the Islands
last year [2005], is assisting the Veterinary Department and
Falklands Conservation. Photographs and samples have been sent to the
UK for analysis, and it is hoped to have a positive diagnosis soon.

Grant said that if the virus is found to be avian pox, it will be the
1st time that this has been reported in the Falklands, and it is
probable that there will be no resistance within the penguin
population.

"Within resistant populations, mortality associated with avian pox
may be only 1-2  percent; however, in susceptible populations,
mortality may be as high as 50 percent." He said vectors such as
animals, birds or infected meat/corpses generally transmit the virus;
however, tourists and visitors, researchers or landowners can equally
carry it.

"Feces will infect soil around the colony, and any dirt or dust
carried from the site on boots, clothing or vehicles will transmit
the virus to new sites. [Feces are not infectious, it is scabs falling off the
lesions that contaminate the soil -- see comment at end. - Mod.JW].

"The Department of Agriculture and Falklands Conservation would
encourage anyone visiting penguin colonies to report any sick animals
showing the above symptoms to Falklands Conservation."

Grant said there is no public health issue, and the pox virus is not
related to the influenza virus either in its human or avian forms.
However, he reiterated that although humans cannot catch the pox
virus from birds, they can transmit it on clothing and boots. "Boots,
clothing and vehicles should be cleaned after visiting any colony,
and visitors should not move directly from one colony to another.
This is essential if it is suspected that infected birds are present;
however, it may be that the symptoms have not yet manifested, and it
is good practice on all occasions. Cruise vessels should use
footbaths prior to tourists disembarking and upon return."

Generally, bird populations in mainland areas have, over time, been
exposed to a wide variety of avian diseases, and resistance
antibodies are present within the population; however, on remoter
islands such as the Falklands, the introduction of exotic diseases
can have catastrophic effects, Grant said.

"In 2002, veterinarians from the Wildlife Conservation Society of New
York, who own Grand and Steeple Jason, took blood samples from
black-browed albatrosses and gentoo penguins and tested for a wide
range of avian diseases.

"It was found that, unlike seabird populations on the coasts of South
America, the Falklands populations had no antibodies and thus no
resistance to the tested diseases. This means that birds may suffer
heavily if or when diseases are introduced."

He added, "Serious outbreaks have occurred in other sub-Antarctic
islands, notably avian cholera on Amsterdam Island and South Georgia
last year [2005] and avian diphtheria in New Zealand."

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Avian Pox, Penguins Posted: February 25 2006 at 3:15pm
	Ok This might be nothing to do with H5N1 then again it could. Either way were going to loose a few species of bird in the near future and its a damn shame AVIAN POX VIRUS, PENGUINS - FALKLAND ISLANDS ******************************************** A ProMED-mail post <http://www.promedmail.org> ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org> Date: Tue 21 Feb 2006 From: ProMED-mail <promed@promedmail.org> Source: MercoPress.com [edited] <http://www.mercopress.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=7267> Suspected pox kills 200 penguins -------------------------------- An unidentified illness has killed penguins in the Port Stephens area of West Falkland. In the past week, approximately 200 gentoo penguins and chicks have died at the rookeries at Ten Shilling Bay and Port Stephens Peak. Penguins with similar signs have also been reported from New Island and Albemarle. Grant Munro said initial indications are that the disease is an "avian pox virus." The penguins appear weak and have wart-like lesions predominantly on their feet, flippers and around the eyes and beak; however, on badly affected animals, lesions may occur all over the body. Grant said that the "eyes may be inflamed with a milky covering over the front of the eye and a dry crusty excretion around the eye; in severely affected animals, the eye may be protruding or alternatively completely closed if swollen lesions occur close to the eye. The illness affects both chicks and adults." Peter and Ann Robertson, who have been monitoring the situation, collected 2 of the affected animals, which were picked up by Falklands Conservation and sent into the Veterinary Department for diagnosis and autopsy. Gidona Goodman, a specialist in exotic animal medicine at Edinburgh University and wildlife vet at Edinburgh Zoo, who visited the Islands last year [2005], is assisting the Veterinary Department and Falklands Conservation. Photographs and samples have been sent to the UK for analysis, and it is hoped to have a positive diagnosis soon. Grant said that if the virus is found to be avian pox, it will be the 1st time that this has been reported in the Falklands, and it is probable that there will be no resistance within the penguin population. "Within resistant populations, mortality associated with avian pox may be only 1-2 percent; however, in susceptible populations, mortality may be as high as 50 percent." He said vectors such as animals, birds or infected meat/corpses generally transmit the virus; however, tourists and visitors, researchers or landowners can equally carry it. "Feces will infect soil around the colony, and any dirt or dust carried from the site on boots, clothing or vehicles will transmit the virus to new sites. [Feces are not infectious, it is scabs falling off the lesions that contaminate the soil -- see comment at end. - Mod.JW]. "The Department of Agriculture and Falklands Conservation would encourage anyone visiting penguin colonies to report any sick animals showing the above symptoms to Falklands Conservation." Grant said there is no public health issue, and the pox virus is not related to the influenza virus either in its human or avian forms. However, he reiterated that although humans cannot catch the pox virus from birds, they can transmit it on clothing and boots. "Boots, clothing and vehicles should be cleaned after visiting any colony, and visitors should not move directly from one colony to another. This is essential if it is suspected that infected birds are present; however, it may be that the symptoms have not yet manifested, and it is good practice on all occasions. Cruise vessels should use footbaths prior to tourists disembarking and upon return." Generally, bird populations in mainland areas have, over time, been exposed to a wide variety of avian diseases, and resistance antibodies are present within the population; however, on remoter islands such as the Falklands, the introduction of exotic diseases can have catastrophic effects, Grant said. "In 2002, veterinarians from the Wildlife Conservation Society of New York, who own Grand and Steeple Jason, took blood samples from black-browed albatrosses and gentoo penguins and tested for a wide range of avian diseases. "It was found that, unlike seabird populations on the coasts of South America, the Falklands populations had no antibodies and thus no resistance to the tested diseases. This means that birds may suffer heavily if or when diseases are introduced." He added, "Serious outbreaks have occurred in other sub-Antarctic islands, notably avian cholera on Amsterdam Island and South Georgia last year [2005] and avian diphtheria in New Zealand."

Corn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Valued Member Joined: December 13 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1219	Post Options Post Reply Quote Corn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 25 2006 at 7:13pm

	Speculation is the only tool we have with a threat that can circle the globe in 30 days. Test results&news is slow.Factor in human conditions,politics, money&bingo!The truth!Facts come after the fact.

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 26 2006 at 3:32am
	If the peguins have the pox, it could be they heard the bad news about BF and were having a last fling!

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 26 2006 at 4:37am
	H5N1 manifests itself differently in different species of birds. This appears to be Sichuan Sheet in Penguins. Columbia confirmed my theory of Sichuan Sheet as the causative agent for their die off of poultry and animals from coast to coast. They admitted that the cattle that were dying were bleeding from their upper legs (because of bat bites), just like all of Asia where they were saying that it was F&M disease. It is not F&M in Asia and it is not bats in Columbia, or the rain in Panama and Costa Rica. It is post Qinghai Lakes Bird flu, and it is on all major populated continents, now......

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 26 2006 at 4:42am
	http://margokingston.typepad.com/harry_version_2/2005/10/eve rybodys_talk.html

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Post Options Post Reply Quote Guests Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 26 2006 at 4:49am
	Avian Pox Avian pox is caused by several strains of Avipoxvirus. The virus causes warty growths on the feet, legs, base of beak, eye margins, and internal epithelial tissues. This can lead to difficulty breathing, feeding, or perching. Transmission can occur with ingestion of contaminated food or water, contact with contaminated surfaces, or via mechanical vectors such as mosquitoes. Waterfowl are not considered a major reservoir or vector for this disease, though Canada geese have been documented as being infected. The strain of avian pox virus isolated from the infected Canada geese was successfully transmitted to domestic geese, but not to leghorn chickens or domestic ducks (Cox 1980). Avian pox is not known to be zoonotic. Thus, avian pox fromgeese does not seem to pose a risk to domestic stock or human health. http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:NF0XSe-2oawJ:permanent.a ccess.gpo.gov/websites/www.aphis.usda.gov/ws/nwrc/is/03pubs/ clar034.pdf+%22avian+pox+virus%22+h5n1&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=11&c lient=safari

Corn Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Valued Member Joined: December 13 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1219	Post Options Post Reply Quote Corn Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: February 26 2006 at 4:56am
	either way birds are having a tough time all over, could one speculate the earth has lost maybe 1 billion wild birds at this point?
	Speculation is the only tool we have with a threat that can circle the globe in 30 days. Test results&news is slow.Factor in human conditions,politics, money&bingo!The truth!Facts come after the fact.