They confirm the presence of avian influenza virus in dead skuas in Antarctica

Scientists from the Argentine Antarctic Institute (IAA), together with experts from international scientific and research organizations, have confirmed the presence of pathogenic variants of the virus that causes avian influenza in dead birds or skuas (skuas) in Antarctica.

The positive results for the pathogenic variant of the virus that causes influenza, known as bird flu, were obtained over the weekend, but the research began around “mid-December, when scientists at the Orkney base spotted 13 skuas, a type of flying bird,” IAA “Already dead, there is also one affected cormorant,” Martín Ansaldo, coordinator of the life sciences area, told the official news agency Télam. “

“Since the middle of last year, we started to receive alerts that something was happening with wild birds and poultry in the northern hemisphere; this was a virus that was moving south. There were deaths in wild seabirds,” the expert stressed. In Peru, Ecuador and all over to our Patagonia, there are also deaths of marine mammals, seals and sea lions.

The emergence of dead specimens in Antarctica triggers prevention programs: “We have suspended all scientific personnel traveling to the site and are only allowing those who have been designated from national parks to work with us and assist us during the winter so that they can only conduct observational surveillance.”the scientist said.

Argentinian researchers formed a working group with experts from Spain, Chile and Uruguay, among others “Establishing early warnings is not only to protect ourselves, but also to analyze the evolution of different groups of birds and mammals””, the researchers added.

The meeting of experts was held virtually, allowing one to assess what is happening at the Primavera base: “We suspected something was going on because some animals behaved strangely and some dead skuas were also present” commented the scientist.

Spanish experts based in Decepcion provided relevant research to their Argentinian counterparts, and the joint mission confirmed “the existence of a pathogenic variant of the virus, which although it is still called avian influenza because of the presence of mammals on the island.” Infect”. It’s actually the flu,” Ansaldo said.

An IAA representative warned that due to “the transfer of this variant to mammals, we must be extremely cautious”, which is why “safety protocols and all extreme measures remain in place to continue to monitor” the situation.

Argentine media said that about 20 dead skuas appeared at the Esperanza base last month.

“These birds are migratory and we have to be careful, which is why we also continue to work with experts to be able to issue early warnings to people living on the base and have the Antarctic Scientific Committee analyze them and assess the status of tourism,” Ansaldo added.