Scientists from the Argentine Antarctic Institute (IAA), together with experts from international scientific and research organizations, have successfully confirmed the presence of a “pathogenic variant” of the virus that causes avian influenza in Antarctica’s dead skuas, a confirmation that will help establish warning protocols, infection Early prevention measures and care tasks for transmission and the protection of Antarctic biodiversity.
The positive results for the pathogenic variant of the virus that causes influenza, known as bird flu, were obtained over the weekend, but work began “around mid-December, when scientists at the southern Orkney base (Laurie Island, Orkney Islands) , they found 13 dead skuas (a flying bird) and one affected cormorant,” he said in a conversation with Télam Martín Ansaldo, IAA Area Coordinator for Life Sciences Zhong said.
The expert stressed that “since the middle of last year we started to receive alerts that something was happening to wild birds and poultry in the northern hemisphere; that this was a virus that was spreading southward. Peru, Ecuador and Patagoni Wild seabirds have died in Asia, and marine mammals such as seals and sea lions have also died there.
Therefore, Ansaldo said that meetings were held with Senasa (the National Agricultural Food Hygiene and Quality Service) to “know more or less what the protocols are to follow or what we should consider”, explaining that “our “The task force is focused on animal surveillance,” and we are seeing changes in response and reproductive success due to climate change or some human impact issue, but we don’t have the expertise with this virus and we want to be prepared. “
The emergence of dead specimens in Orkney triggered the triggering of precautionary protocols, “We suspended all scientific personnel traveling to the site and only allowed personnel designated by the National Park to work with and assist us during this time.” So they only able to carry out observational surveillance”, but together with “experts from Spain, Chile, Uruguay and South Korea, we formed a working group to establish early warnings, not only to protect ourselves, but also to analyze the evolution of different bird groups” and mammals animal.”
Expert meetings held virtually allowed us to assess what was going on at the Primavera base: “Some of us suspected that something was going on because some animals behaved strangely and some dead skuas appeared.” .
“At that time we decided to take samples for analysis, but we did not have the equipment to conduct these studies, and that’s when Dr. Antonio Quesada del Corral from Spain invited us to conduct these studies at a base owned by the Spanish. In Germany On Cepción, they have the tools to detect and identify this type of virus,” Ansaldo said.
Previously, a team of Spanish scientists conducted a census of a group of chinstrap penguins near their base and found that although the virus was present in them, it was a “non-pathogenic” variant, that is, they were carriers, but it would not produce symptoms because their own immune system handles it,” experts say.
Argentine experts analyzed samples collected at the Primavera base and “in an important logistical operation in collaboration with the heads of groups from both countries” and found “pathogenic variants of the virus that, in fact, “It’s still called bird flu, but mammals are actually infected, so it’s actually a flu,” Ansaldo said. “
The coordinator also explained that due to the “transfer of this variant to mammals, we have to be very cautious,” which is why “safety protocols and all extreme measures remain in place to continue monitoring.”
Last month, around 20 dead skuas turned up at the Esperanza base. Since these “birds are migratory birds, we have to be careful, which is why we also continue to work with experts to be able to provide information to the skuas living in the area.” People at the base issued an early warning.” The Scientific Commission on Antarctic Research (SCAR) analyzes these bases and evaluates tourism conditions. ” (Taylam)