For the primary time, the presence of extremely pathogenic avian influenza (in any other case often called chook flu or HPAI) has at this time (Thursday, January 11) been detected in mammals within the sub-Antarctic.
Experts from the UK’s Animal Planet Health Agency (APHA) recognized the illness in elephant and fur seals on the island of South Georgia, which is situated within the southern Atlantic ocean – roughly 1,400km east of the Falkland Islands.
The island is a UK abroad territory that’s solely accessible by ship, and has no everlasting residents attributable to its distant location and lack of infrastructure.
South Georgia is home to 13 mammal species, and it has among the most carefully monitored seabird colonies on this planet.
Cases of chook flu had been first suspected on Bird Island off the north-west coast of South Georgia in October 2023, following a number of deaths of enormous sea chook species, the brown skua.
It is believed that the virus doubtless had been launched by means of migratory chook motion from South America, consequently from a sequence evaluation of contaminated birds.
Symptoms of chook flu embody:
- Loss of urge for food and extreme thirst;
- Respiratory points;
- Swollen head;
- Extreme fatigue;
- Sudden loss of life.
The virus can have an effect on all chook species and different animals, together with cows, horses, and cats.
Leading APHA scientist, Dr. Marco Falchieri of the Influenza and Avian Virology staff, spent three weeks within the sub-Antarctic area, visiting the affected islands and picked up samples from lifeless mammals, which included elephant seals and birds.
Following testing, the samples confirmed the presence of the HPAI H5N1 in brown skuas, elephant seals, kelp gulls and fur seals.
To date, there was no report of a suspiciously excessive charge of mortality in penguins.
Science supervisor for Bird Island Research, Ash Bennison, mentioned: “It’s extremely unhappy to witness the consequences of avian flu on the animal populations we examine on South Georgia.
“We are doing everything we can to mitigate the effects of this disease and are working closely with the government of South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the APHA to continue our work to monitor and conserve these amazing species.”
Laura Sinclair Willis, chief government of the federal government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands added:
“The authorities of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands anticipated that HPAI would doubtless arrive on our shores within the 23/24 austral summer season.
“We are grateful for the continued help of the APHA, British Antarctic Survey, Ministry of Defence and the Antarctic cruise trade, together with a world group of companions and stakeholders who’re serving to us to observe the impacts inside the territory.
“The transmission and spread of this disease is primarily a natural phenomenon, and we continue to emphasise the importance of scrupulous biosecurity by all those entering South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands,” the chief government mentioned.
