Qinghai Lake bird flu virus samples sent to U.S.

In the spring of 2005, a major die off of migratory birds around Qing Hai Lake in China signalled the emergence of a new strain of bird flu, now known as Qinghai Lake strain.

It's considered scientifically important because it is genetically different from the strains of bird flu going around SouthEast Asia -- Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

The Qinghai Lake strain spread to the Middle East and Africa, presumably via migratory birds, because Qinghai Lake is a major resting place for migrating birds in Asia.

Because it's the dominant strain in Africa, understanding it may be important to fighting the disease in that country, where resources are much scarcer than in even the poor parts of rural Asia.

However, China has not released the genetic information on Qinghai Lake, until recently.

On September 28, samples taken from dead birds found around Qinghai Lake in early 2005 have been sent to the U.S., so the Center for Disease Control CDC can run sophisticated genetic sequencing analysis on them.

This should enable scientists around the world to learn more about how the H5N1 virus has developed and mutated and therefore how this subtype may mutate in the future.



China shares Qinghai Lake bird flu isolates





Qinghai Lake Bird Flu
Qinghai Lake Bird Flu

Up to 25% bird flu in Indonesia back yard poultry

Here's a good overview of some of the problems we face in controlling the spread of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, particularly in Indonesia.

A survey found the H5N1 virus in 27% of chickens in flocks and caged, in some of Indonesia's most densely populated areas. The methodology of the survey is given, so we don't really know how widespread the problem really is, but I suggest that if even a mediocre survey can find 27% H5N1 infection in chickens anywhere in the country, that country's got a big problem.

Yes, given Indonesia's weird and widespread geography, there're probably plenty of provinces of that country where avian flu is nowhere to be found at all.

But we know from the hospital admissions of bird flu patients that the virus is spreading to people in ever-greater numbers in highly populated areas.

And of course, highly populated areas with bird flu are what we should fear the most. Because if the virus starts spreading from person to person and mutates into a strain that expedites that contagion, it will happen fastest the more victims it can easily find close by.

Therefore, pandemic influenza likes population density of victims.

And the more the virus spreads, whether in chickens or people, the greater the likelihood that it will eventually mutate into a highly contagious but still lethal strain.



Bird flu in up to 25% of Indonesian back yard poultry


Bird Flu Complications -- Encephalitis


Indonesia Bird Flu
Indonesia Bird Flu

Indonesia bird flu case number 69

The victim is a 21 year old woman from the province of East Java. She is still hospitalized after being admitted September 25.

Avian flu takes time to cure and get over, even when you're in the hospital.

She is the older sister of an 11 year old boy who died on September 18, and since they were living in the same household, it's most likely that she caught the disease from the same source -- sick chickens. Chickens in their household have died both before and after this boy's death.

Out of 69 known bird flu cases in Indonesia, 52 have died, so the mortality rate in that country is running well ahead of the overall 55% mortality rate for Asian flu patients.



Bird flu Case 69 in Indonesia





Indonesia Bird Flu
Indonesia Bird Flu

New Chinese bird flu outbreak

About 1000 chickens died from bird flu in northern China, in Henan New Village in Yinchuan. Another 72,930 have been slaughtered to control the bird flu H5N1 virus.

Supposedly, this new outbreak is now under control.

If you have to wonder -- where is the H5N1 virus while all outbreaks are "under control?" If they're really "under control," then where do new outbreaks come from?


New bird flu outbreak in China


Complications of bird flu -- high fever



China Bird Flu
China Bird Flu