The very first standard study in Antarctica will help detection of H5N1 – the extremely infectious bird influenza or bird influenza.
The study is a fast action that will be crucial to slowing the illness and any cross types infection on the icy continent.
June 2022 researchers sounded the alarm of an approaching danger to Antarctic penguins. Modelling showed a most likely arrival by 2024, in contaminated migratory birds like skua.
The infection has the prospective to seriously weaken Antarctic environments that are already under tension from environment modification.
With assistance from The University of Waikato Environmental Research Institute and Antarctica New Zealand, University of Waikato Professor Craig Cary has actually been spending part of his 2022/23 Antarctic research study journey travelling around a penguin nest, gathering poo samples.
“Skua arrival at Cape Adare coincides with penguin breeding season and the Cape is home to one of the largest Adelie penguin breeding areas in the world,” Professor Cary says.
“The virus spreads through contact with infected individuals and poo, making the colony high risk.”
Professor Cary, a microbial ecologist, Director of the ternational Centre for Terrestrial Antarctic Research and ERI guiding group member, has substantial experience of Antarctica, where he has actually studied microbial neighborhoods in soil, ice, and penguin guano (poo).
“There is significant risk here, so I contacted Antarctica New Zealand. They listened to the science and identified an opportunity for me to join a team headed to Cape Adare.”
Professor Cary kept track of the Adelie penguin nest and discovered no dead birds or symptomatic behaviours. He gathered 100 poo samples which are now in a freezer in his laboratory, waiting for analysis.
He warns that this is just one study of one nest and a lot more requirement tracking. “My hope is to initiate an international effort involving all the Antarctic National Programmes in the Ross Sea region to collectively visit, observe and sample select colonies so that we get the coverage needed.”
A nestling Adelie Penguin. Photo: Craig Cary.
There are a range of mitigation services being checked out. These consist of existing and freshly established vaccines. “Right now, we must be prepared for what is inevitable, and look at every possible mitigation strategy being used off-continent,” he says.
