In article ,
dave wrote:
Just heard on the news that bird flu virus is spread by bird faeces

Reference (not the news reference but the scientific evidence on which the
news is based)?

Stupid question I know but just searching for it might persuade you that the
'news' reports are crap.

--
John Cartmell john@ followed by finnybank.com 0845 006 8822
Qercus magazine FAX +44 (0)8700-519-527 www.finnybank.com
Qercus - the best guide to RISC OS computing

"John Cartmell" wrote in message
...
In article ,
dave wrote:
Just heard on the news that bird flu virus is spread by bird faeces

Reference (not the news reference but the scientific evidence on which the
news is based)?

Stupid question I know but just searching for it might persuade you that
the
'news' reports are crap.

Indeed.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/dise...rope160206.pdf
is the situation as it stands right now.

Mary

Mary Fisher wrote:
"John Cartmell" wrote in message
...

Stupid question I know but just searching for it might persuade you that
the 'news' reports are crap.

Indeed.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/dise...rope160206.pdf
is the situation as it stands right now:

Text copied from Faxit reader:

During the past few weeks HPAI H5N1 virus has been confirmed in dead
swans in several geographic locations (see map) in western Asia (i.e.
Azerbaijan southern Russia, Iran), eastern Europe (Bulgaria, Romania)
and some EU Member States (Greece, southern Italy).

The H5N1 is suspected in northern Germany (the island of Ruegen on the
Baltic Sea). This island is located in the triangle formed by the north
coast of Germany, the
south coast of Sweden and the east coast of Denmark.

The H5 virus has been confirmed in dead swans in two provinces in
southern Italy (mainland), north Slovenia, southeast Austria and
Hungary. Unofficial reports suggest that dead swans have also been
found in a few locations in Croatia.

These recent reports do not involve large-scale die-off of swans;
rather the virus was detected in individual birds (Mute swan Cygnus
olor) that have been found dead and submitted for testing. We are not
aware of any detections of the virus in domestic poultry associated
with the swan deaths, so far.

It is unknown why the wider distribution of the virus has recently been
associated with
swans. It is possible that the swans are infected and are carrying the
virus over wider
geographic areas due to increased movements because of severe winter.
Alternatively, the swans may not initially be infected but instead
become infected on contact with a local population of wild birds in
which the virus may be present but undetected. Swans are large birds
and they are likely to be noticed when dead compared to other smaller
birds.

Chen and others (2006) consider that migratory ducks may carry the
virus without showing clinical signs. However, EU wide surveillance of
wild migratory birds detected no HPAI H5N1 in any of more than 25,000
samples collected from wild birds so far.

We are not aware of any differential diagnostic tests that have been
carried out to shed
more light on whether these swans are dying because of infection with
the virus itself or
whether they dying of other causes and are carrying the virus without
[it] killing them.

We have considered these developments in the context of the risk of the
virus being
introduced to the UK. According to expert opinion, the UK population of
Mute swans is self-contained and under normal circumstances does not
come into contact with population in continental Europe.

However, if cold weather in continental Europe forces these populations
into the UK, then the possibility of mixing would be increased.

In at least one case (the German island of Ruegen in the Baltic sea)
some other populations (i.e. common ducks, geese) that cohabit with
Mute swans may to come to the UK if forced by harsh winter weather.

However, it is expected that within the next two weeks these
populations of ducks and geese will be returning to their breeding
grounds in northern Russia.

Preliminary Conclusions

In our previous risk assessments we took into consideration the
reported detection of the
virus in eastern Europe including Croatia and suspected H5 virus
infection in Bulgaria. We concluded that there is an increased (but
still low) likelihood of the introduction of the H5N1 virus to the UK
from the outbreaks in the known affected countries in eastern Europe by
migratory birds during the autumn migration.

We are still in a very dynamic and uncertain situation. The most recent
reports demonstrate incremental increases in the likelihood of imminent
introduction of HPAI H5N1 virus from the affected areas to the UK.
Overall, this risk remains increased but still low.

The likelihood of imminent introduction of the virus from the current
event on the island of
Ruegen (Germany) on the Baltic Sea remains increased but still low
unless there is marked deterioration in weather within the next two to
three weeks that may force either swans or their cohabitants (common
ducks, geese) to move to the UK.

We continue to monitor developments.

IOW: Britain gets all the dead ones full of the disease to analyse.

In message , John Cartmell
writes
In article ,
dave wrote:
Just heard on the news that bird flu virus is spread by bird faeces

Reference (not the news reference but the scientific evidence on which the
news is based)?

Stupid question I know but just searching for it might persuade you that the
'news' reports are crap.

"Bird faeces is crap" ... shock horror

And there was me thinking it was guano

--
geoff