USA begins testing avian flu vaccine on condors

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Antibodies found in California condors in the first results of a landmark new vaccine trial could provide the species with at least partial protection against the most deadly strain of the virus. Debbie Sears, left, holds a condor tightly while Dr. Dominique Keller, chief veterinarian, right, gives a bird flu vaccine and AP Photo/Richard Vogel Antibodies found in California condors in first results from a new Landmark bird flu vaccine trial could provide the endangered species with at least partial protection against the deadliest strain of bird flu in US history, reports the Associated Press news agency. The California condor is the only bird species in the country that has been approved for the new emergency-use vaccine, which was administered this summer to captive-bred condors during a trial at the Los Angeles Zoo, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Oregon Zoo. Authorities launched the study following the bird flu deaths earlier this year of 21 free-flying condors in Arizona, part of a southwestern flock that normally makes up a third of the wild population. Wildlife officials feared that the impact of the outbreak on California’s condor population could negate any gains made to rebuild the wild population, spurring efforts to speed up vaccinations. After 40 years of recovery efforts to prevent the extinction of the iconic 10-foot vulture, the wild population now numbers fewer than 350 condors in flocks that stretch from the Pacific Northwest to Baja California, Mexico. “Losing 20 birds is effectively the same as delaying the recovery program by 10 years,” said Dr. Hendrik Nollens, vice president of wildlife health at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Read also: Brazil has already exceeded 100 cases of bird flu: understand the disease in the country Bird flu: How do humans catch it? How many people have already been infected? Ask questions Vaccination of other species Dr. Dominique Keller, chief veterinarian at the Los Angeles Zoo, said participating in the historic trial was one of her career highlights. She hopes the condor study will lead to bird flu vaccines for other endangered species. “We want to look at the data more holistically before we move on to what’s next,” Blackford said. Also in April, the U.S. government began to test four possible vaccines against avian flu in birds, authorities told the Reuters news agency. Conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Research Service, the trials are the first step in a long process toward the possible first use of vaccines to protect U.S. poultry from the deadly virus. In Brazil, the Butantan Institute began developing a vaccine against bird flu in January this year. According to the institute, the tests are being carried out with vaccine strains that were provided by the WHO Bird flu in the USA Bird flu arrived in the USA in February 2022, after causing havoc across Europe. US agricultural authorities consider this year’s cases to be part of last year’s outbreak, which was recorded as the country’s deadliest ever. Authorities confirmed the presence of the flu earlier this month in commercial poultry flocks in South Dakota and Utah, raising concerns ahead of the spring migration season. The outbreak has cost poultry producers nearly 59 million birds in 47 states, including laying hens and turkeys and chickens raised for meat. The flu also caused increases in egg and turkey prices for consumers and cost the federal government more than $660 million. California Condors The bird’s population was nearly wiped out by hunting during the California Gold Rush in the mid-1800s, as well as poisoning by the toxic pesticide DDT and lead ammunition. In the 1980s, only 22 California condors were left in the wild. They were captured and placed into captive breeding programs to save the species. Zoo-bred birds were first released into the wild in 1992 and, in the following years, were reintroduced into habitats from which they had disappeared. Progress on the bird flu trial will allow wildlife officials to move forward and release about two dozen vaccinated condors into the wild in California and Arizona by the end of the year. The government is awaiting additional results before deciding whether free-flying condors should be captured and inoculated. Authorities already vaccinate condors in captivity and in the wild against the West Nile virus. See also: Brazilians profit from raising giant roosters that cost R$20,000: Brazilians profit from raising giant roosters that cost R$20,000 Is cod a fish or a method of preparation?

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