The Senasa laboratory diagnosed Thursday that the sea lion deaths found in Necochea (Buenos Aires) and Puerto Loyola (Santa Cruz) were due to “new highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 case”.
Senasa National Laboratory diagnoses “new disease-positive samples from sea lions (Otaria flavescens) found dead in Port Quacken, Port Necochea, and Port Loyola,” they report in a release explain.
So far, four notifications about sea lions have been processed: the first two were negative; the third was found in Antarctica’s Tierra del Fuego and the Rio Grande in the South Atlantic Islands, the first positive case for this species the fourth was confirmed a few days ago in the Rio Negro Punta Bermeja Nature Reserve.
They collected other sea lion samples on Wednesday in Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, and on Thursday in Puerto San Julian, Santa Cruz.
Samples from the last two locations are not yet available as the study will take approximately 48 hours.
Necochea’s southern seawall is closed due to confirmed deaths of local pinniped populations from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
spread of disease
The hypothesis of the agency responsible for animal health is that “sea lions contracted the disease from sick wild birds” that shed the virus in their feces.
“In colonies, there’s a lot of contact between seabirds and between marine mammals, and there’s droppings all over the place,” Mellon said.
Although there have been no reports of the virus spreading among marine mammals globally, experts insist, “This is a reason to investigate and we are working with other countries that have the same findings to see if the virus is causing Mutations in Virus Variation.” Transmission from Mammal to Mammal. “
When asked about sea lions jumping to humans, Mellon dismissed the possibility, assuring that “the few cases of bird flu that have occurred worldwide have been linked to close and direct contact between sick birds.”
However, the environmental health director said personnel, rescuers or wildlife workers were being monitored and possibly in contact with sick sea lions to verify that they showed no signs of contagion and “in all cases, they were not found to be affected Infected people” “so far.
The Senasa laboratory in Necochea said in a statement that as soon as the situation became known a few days ago, “the Municipality of Necochea, under the leadership of Arturo Rojas, organized an interdisciplinary , which includes researchers from different fields. With the intervention of the Commune, the Caiken Port Management Union and the Argentine Naval Ministry in Puerto Caican, there is a clear collaboration with the responsible official bodies to provide the population with scientific, clear and accurate information.
This action has given rise to different measures aimed at controlling the health condition, such as taking samples from animals found to determine the cause of death.
All these findings and results were carried out within the framework of surveillance actions and health measures implemented nationwide to prevent the disease, which Senasa detailed.
They added, “During the sampling programme, burial sites of suspected dead animals were identified together with local authorities to avoid any type of contamination or contagion from other animals or people.”
In this sense, Mellon emphasizes the immediate steps taken in the event of a bird flu suspicion: “Within 24 hours of notification, Senasa inspects the site and takes samples. Dead animals are buried to avoid Contamination of the environment and possible exposure of birds to dead animals, affected beaches or habitats will be closed at the time to avoid contact with people at the time.
suggestion
For the general public, he said, “it is advisable to avoid contact with birds, animals that appear sick and dead, or wild birds or marine mammals found on beaches.”
Likewise, they remind producers, institutions, and the public that they must report if high mortality, neurological, digestive, and/or respiratory symptoms in susceptible species are found in wild birds or in commercial or backyard poultry.
Télam asked whether such diseases in marine mammals would affect animal health, which the agency assured would not happen and that Argentina “is considered a country free of HPAI in domestic poultry.”
If birds are observed or suspected to have clinical symptoms consistent with avian influenza or dead poultry and/or wild birds are found, please go to any of their offices to notify Senasa; via the Senasa Notifications app, by email at notificaciones@senasa.gob.ar; go to the “Notifications Senasa” section of the agency’s website or send a WhatsApp to 11-5700-5704.
(Teram)