Return of migratory birds alerts authorities to bird flu; see routes and species that come to Brazil

[ad_1]

Migration is important for the ecosystem, but on the journey, animals can spread diseases. In the case of bird flu, most outbreaks in the country emerged in migratory birds. The effort is to ensure that it does not reach farms. Five billion birds migrate annually across the world. They play an important role in ecosystems, connecting different regions and maintaining the survival of other generations. But, during these long journeys, some of these birds become hosts and distributors of diseases such as the H5N1 virus, which causes bird flu. This year, Brazil had cases of the disease for the first time. Of the almost 150 outbreaks so far, the vast majority have been in migratory birds. The peak occurred in May, at the end of the previous migration cycle. Birds move mainly between September and December, with the arrival of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. In other words: Brazil is now receiving these “visits” again. And, in September, it registered the second highest number of outbreaks of the year. The effort continues to ensure that this contamination, which occurred mainly on the coast, does not reach the farms, affecting the chicken and egg trade. Below, see some species that make up these flocks and the route they take. Why is migration a concern? Until last Friday (2), Brazil had accumulated 148 outbreaks of bird flu in 2023 — the first year with cases of H5N1 in the country. The virus was first identified in China in 1996. Most outbreaks in Brazil were detected in migratory birds, starting in May. Cases fell in the following months, but rose again in September. The species that most migrate to the country are sandpipers, batuíras and stoneturners, but cases of avian influenza in Brazil are concentrated in flock terns and real terns. The country did not record the disease on farms engaged in large-scale trade. If bird flu spread to these establishments, the animals would need to be euthanized, which would reduce the supply of chicken meat and eggs. In addition to this being a problem for the domestic market, it could affect exports: the country is the largest exporter of chicken meat in the world and the second largest global producer, behind the USA. So far, the three outbreaks involving farmed birds have been on small properties, also on the coast. And there was never any record of contamination in people in the country. There are still no immunizations for humans against bird flu. However, since January, the Butantan Institute has been working on developing a vaccine. The tests are being carried out with vaccine strains that were provided by the WHO. The arrival of the flu in South America H5N1 arrived in places that were previously protected: since the end of 2022, the virus began to spread across America, to countries such as Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama , Peru, Venezuela and Chile. In March 2023, Argentina and Uruguay also detected their first cases, while Paraguay and Brazil began to have occurrences in May, almost at the end of the migratory cycle, which has now resumed in September. In May there was the peak of flu records in Brazil, with 44 outbreaks. In September, the second highest number: 30. The outbreaks of the disease in migratory birds were found mainly on the coast, which is usually their stopping point, far from chicken and egg production centers. Birds come to southern countries in search of favorable climatic conditions for breeding, changing their plumage and feeding. When clustered, the risk of flocks coming into contact with secretions and fluids from infected animals, whether living or dead, is great. To date, there have been records of contamination of mammals on the coast of Rio Grande do Sul, in sea lions and sea lions. “There are other diseases that birds can spread, such as West Nile virus, which can also cause embargoes”, said USP biologist and virologist, Jansen de Araújo. Nile Fever is a disease that affects animals and humans. Similar to dengue, it can also be transmitted through mosquito bites and cause neurological sequelae in those infected. Despite the risk, migratory birds play an important role in ecosystems, connecting different regions of the world and maintaining the survival of other generations. “It is a phenomenon that happens, will continue to happen and is very important for the maintenance of the species. It is important for maintaining the biology, the ecology of these animals in the environment,” said Jansen. With bird microchipping, researchers discovered new migratory routes Jansen Araújo/ USP What are the protection measures? Farms, business associations, the Ministry of Agriculture and state agricultural bodies have been working for many years to monitor avian influenza. The industry, in turn, had been working for many years under strict hygiene and control rules, established by the National Poultry Health Program (PNSA) in 1994. In March of this year, after the flu had advanced to Argentina and Uruguay, the The government prohibited holding exhibitions, tournaments, fairs and other events with crowds of birds, in addition to raising birds outdoors, with access to paddocks without screens on top, in establishments registered with the ministry. Visits to aviaries have also become restricted. With the first cases in the country’s history, the Ministry of Agriculture declared a zoosanitary emergency until May 2024. In practice, the measure allows the adoption of actions to eradicate the outbreak quickly, the mobilization of Union funds and partnership with state organizations to contain the spread of the disease. The Agricultural Defense of the State of São Paulo, for example, has carried out inspections on islands and collected genetic materials from birds to analyze the evolution of cases and anticipate preventive actions. The intention is to prevent the disease from reaching regions with a strong presence of poultry activities. In São Paulo, 98% of outbreaks were registered in coastal cities. No cases were identified near the Bastos region, which is the largest egg producer in the state and one of the leaders in the country. Brazilian researchers have also joined forces to identify migratory routes and member species through monitoring using bird microchipping. In a project developed by the University of Rio Grande do Sul, in partnership with the Ministry of Science and Technology, birds receive a monitoring chip. “We captured the birds, collected the samples and analyzed (…) we used GPS. Before, monitoring was done with shackles. In other words, we only knew the starting and ending point”, said the USP biologist and virologist. With monitoring, researchers are able to analyze the relationship between cases and the presence of migratory birds. This way, preventive measures can be taken even before the start of a new migratory cycle. Where does what I eat come from: Eggs Also watch: g1 tastes the most expensive fish in the world

[ad_2]

Source link