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🚨 New Technical Blog! 🚨 🦅 Dive deep into the world of Avian Influenza with our latest technical blog by Dr. Jolene Giacinti, a Wildlife Health Specialist and valued Board member at VWB/VSF. This article unpacks the complexities of avian influenza, offering valuable insights and up-to-date information for professionals and enthusiasts alike. Get informed and prepared with key information including: 🧬 Understanding Virus Types and Subtypes  🦅 Impact on Wildlife and Domestic Animals  🐄 Emerging Concerns in Livestock  🔍 The Critical Role of Surveillance and Biosecurity Learn about the latest research, discover practical advice for managing risks, and understand how everyone can contribute to a safer, healthier environment. 🔗 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/e-V8rWDz 🔬Stay tuned for more technical insights on our website as we continue to explore important topics in animal and human health. #AvianInfluenza #AIV #OneHealth #WildlifeHealth #LivestockHealth #VeterinaryScience #PublicHealth #WildlifeConservation

An excerpt from this article- “Without transparency and sharing of data and relevant information on the animal health situation, we would not be able to effectively prevent and fight existing animal diseases, not to mention the emerging threats,” states Jacob Jensen, the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark. Making sense of data collected ensures that all the efforts invested during surveillance (manpower, time, money) will not be put to waste, and more importantly can be translated into necessary actions: preventive and control measures. Looking forward to more positive progress, advancements and enhancements for animal disease reportings in Malaysia-in particular for zoonotic diseases together with the human health and environmental health sectors 🤝 This would be of utmost beneficial to the country- All hands on deck! Towards making One Health work among the current and future #OneHealthWorkforce in Malaysia! #onehealth #zoonoses #malaysia #onehealthworkforce

Worth reading!!

Don't miss VIEW Executive Director, Dr. Deborah McCauley, as she interviews with Soledad O'Brien on Matter of Fact. They discuss the alarming spread of bird flu (avian influenza), which has been devastating bird populations since 2022 and has now been detected in humans. Dr. McCauley sheds light on how diseases can transfer between wildlife and livestock, domestic animals, and humans. She emphasizes the importance of rigorous research, surveillance, and testing to understand and mitigate these disease dynamics. Learning from the lessons of COVID-19, it is crucial to understand animal-to-human disease dynamics to prevent future pandemics. Watch the interview to learn more about this crucial issue: https://lnkd.in/gysTChyT VIEW's mission is to protect endangered wildlife by addressing health threats, including disease. We are currently working on improving disease surveillance through the development of our Wildlife Health Information System (WHIS), an electronic health surveillance platform that tracks and shares wildlife health data. This system can help understand diseases like bird flu and provide a deeper understanding of disease dynamics. To learn more about WHIS, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gRFmWV4 #VIEW #wildlifehealth #diseasesurveillance #matteroffact #wildlifeveternarian #avianflu #birdflu #conservation #wildlifeconservation #soledadobrien

📌 New wildlife situation 🐨 report highlights for December 2023: -38 countries & territories reported 763 outbreaks & 10,727 cases in wildlife -6 diseases were reported in 80 different wildlife species — 13.7% classified as threatened -The largest event was reported by Finland, with 8,333 avian influenza cases in farmed fur animals -The widespread detection of ASF and HPAI in wildlife represents a potential threat to biodiversity Consult the detailed report: https://lnkd.in/esBZwd5u

The H5N1 strain of avian influenza virus, commonly known as "bird flu," continues to spread from birds to mammals. It is now present on every continent except Australia and New Zealand, with over 48 mammal species capable of carrying the virus. This includes both wild species such as black bears and red foxes, as well as domesticated animals like cats, dogs, cattle, and goats. Shockingly, one in five pasteurized cow milk tested in the United States contains virus fragments, indicating that the contagion is far more widespread than previously thought. However, it's important to note that once pasteurized, the milk cannot spread the influenza virus. Currently, nearly half of humans who contract the bird flu have died. To efficiently spread through the human population, the virus likely needs to further mutate. While this could potentially increase infectivity, there may also be some loss of lethality of the disease. The BBC article attached about the H5N1 timeline is informative, highlighting how long it has taken for the virus to spread to many mammal species since its initial detection in 1996. The virus has made its way around the globe, arriving in North America in 2021 and has reached Antarctica this year. Given the potential for pandemic-level spread in humans, this is certainly an area being watched carefully by the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other healthcare-focused regulatory experts. #BirdFlu #H5N1 #pandemic

Researchers have detected zoonotic Mycobacterium bovis in the sputum samples of people living near a wildlife park in rural South Africa. This is the first time that the DNA of M. bovis has been isolated from human samples collected in this country, despite abundant reports from others in Africa. M. bovis crosses the park border via infected buffalo that then spread the pathogen to soil, water, goats, cattle, and humans. In areas where domestic livestock and wildlife share grazing and water sources, there is a higher risk of spillover (pathogen transmission from animals to humans) and spillback (pathogen transmission from humans to animals). Moreover, the frequent consumption of “bushmeat”, including buffalo meat, by communities living adjacent to the park also raises concerns about the potential for pathogens to spread from wildlife to humans. Understanding this spillover into people could help identify the TB ‘missing middle’ — cases of TB infection in humans that are going undetected and untreated. Read the story in Nature Africa here: https://lnkd.in/dsuDvdeF #onehealth #zoonoticTB #zoonoticTB #bovineTB #tuberculosis Wynand Goosen, PhD Michele Miller Stellenbosch University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences World Organisation for Animal Health

It’s worrying that HPAI is spreading even to Antarctica, and found on mammals as well…. The emerging threat of bird flu to wildlife is largely driven by human-induced activities, such as modern poultry practices and increased animal trade, which heighten the interaction among humans, wild animals, and domestic animals. While wild birds act as vectors for the flu, they are also victims themselves. Prevention is better than cure. Therefore, it's imperative to proactively prepare by developing a comprehensive protocol for reporting and handling incidents, while also building capacity among field staff and local communities to minimize the risk of disease spread. We need to prioritize proactive measures to safeguard both wildlife and human health Read the new publication: https://lnkd.in/gTcyEJp2

A nationwide study led by Penn Vet reveals a new test for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer, a fatal prion disease that is on the rise worldwide. 🦌🦠 A team of researchers from Penn Vet’s Wildlife Futures Program, along with Merck and the USDA, analyzed white-tailed deer fecal samples and found several types of gut bacteria that could differentiate between positive and negative CWD animals. 🔬 These findings hold hope for developing a noninvasive disease surveillance tool, potentially revolutionizing early detection strategies for CWD, especially in areas where the spread of the deadly disease may have eluded other detection efforts. 💫 🔗 Get the full story: https://bit.ly/3wr9cpW #PennVet #WildlifeFuturesProgram #ResearchAtPennVet