Academy of Sciences study of avian influenza confirms it is spread by migrating wild birds from the Pacific

a study Faculty of Sciencecase detected Avian Influenza In Uruguay, they are associated with the introduction of wild birds that migrate along the Pacific coast.

The report on the presence of avian influenza in our country was prepared by the Microbial Genetics Group in collaboration with the Virology Laboratory of the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Agriculture and Fisheries.

The publication, published in the International Journal of Viruses, describes the genomic characterization of influenza in wild and backyard birds in Uruguay.

The results show that the Uruguayan strain is a “highly pathogenic” H5N1 variant that is highly similar to strains circulating in South America, especially Chile and Argentina.

The report states that entry into Uruguay “may have occurred through wild birds migrating along the Pacific coast, transmitting the virus to other birds migrating in the area.”

On the other hand, he added, “This is the first time that this type of strain has entered Uruguay and several countries in South America, posing a significant risk to the ecosystem and the poultry industry.”

Research by this multidisciplinary team continues to sequence the genomes of new cases in birds and mammals (coats and sea lions) occurring in our country.