The dying of a polar bear in northern Alaska has proven that chook flu has made the leap into yet one more mammal species. The lifeless polar bear was present in October 2023 close to Utqiagvik within the northern a part of the state, and while chook flu was not initially detected within the swabs taken from the carcass, additional examination revealed that the virus was the reason for dying.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), typically referred to as chook flu, has totally different strains of various severity. H5N1 is a extremely contagious pressure, which is believed to have originated in poultry farms in China. It quickly unfold across the globe, impacting each home and wild birds. In the UK, the virus was notably devastating for some seabird populations equivalent to gannets, terns and nice skuas.
Although it primarily impacts birds, the virus does typically spill over into mammal populations as properly – normally the place a mammal has scavenged the carcass of a lifeless contaminated chook. In Alaska, the polar bear is the fourth mammal to have been contaminated, following crimson foxes, a brown bear and a black bear. More broadly, a wide range of mammals have been contaminated, together with otters, seals, mountain lions and raccoons.
“It is likely that other polar bears may have been infected by the virus, as migratory birds carrying the H5N1 share the same habitat across the state. The exposure to a carcass of an infected bird provides the risk for infection,” says Dr Robert Gerlach, Alaska’s State Veterinarian.
“As with other pathogens, exposure alone does not mean clinical infection; it depends on the dose of the exposure, the health of the animal and other stressors that may be affecting the animal.”
In October 2023, it was detected within the Antarctic area for the primary time, possible unfold by wild birds coming back from South America on migration, with experiences of the virus from each South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. A recent update from the British Antarctic Survey confirmed that the virus has spread to elephant and fur seals on South Georgia, although samples from albatrosses and large petrels have been detrimental.
