Highly pathogenic avian influenza may trigger ecological disaster in Antarctica

“Just because it was expected, the situation is not that serious,” he noted on his X account.Elisa Perez Ramirez, a veterinary virologist at the Center for Research on Animal Health (CISA) in Madrid.The scientists who confirmed the discovery were from Severo Ochoa Center for Molecular Biology of Superior Council for Scientific Research (CSIC).

A team of scientists led by researchers from China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation Antonio Alcamiwho works at Gabriel de Castilla Spanish Antarctic BaseThe presence of the virus was confirmed on Deception Island last Saturday (February 24). The virus was found in two samples of dead skuas, a seabird similar to gulls but larger and with darker plumage. The birds were discovered by Argentinian scientists near the Argentine Antarctic base of Primavera.There are already cases on the island Falkland Islands and south georgiabut this is the first discovery in Antarctica.

The researchers have expressed their concerns in a scientific article published as a preprint on November 24.”If HPAIV (the English abbreviation for this virus) enters penguin colonies, it could rapidly infect and spread,” they warned. If the virus starts causing mass mortality in penguin colonies, it could indicate One of the greatest ecological disasters of modern times

“The question is how long it takes for it to spread to other species such as penguins. We need to monitor this,” Antonio Alcami declared to the Guardian. “I’m worried it could be transmitted to penguins. “The skuas live very close together so there are lots of opportunities for transmission, but we’ll see. ”

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus Rarely transmitted to humans, for which continuous and close contact is required. “Spain launched a program against HPAI in Antarctica in November before the operation began, and it was strictly adhered to by all participants in the programme,” CSIC reported.