Via the Times of India: New bird flu virus H6N2 comes to roost. Excerpt:
HYDERABAD: A new bird flu virus has been brought to the country by migratory birds causing concern among researchers and health experts.
The novel avian influenza virus(AIV) is a reassorted variety of H6N2, which is capable of infecting human beings too. The good news, however, is the new strains of bird flu virus H6N2 are susceptible to the anti-flu drug Oseltamivir. But it could emerge as a “possible pandemic strain”.
Though the two new strains were discovered in Assam and Kerala, experts fear that they can spread to new states as they were introduced by migratory birds. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh get migratory birds in large numbers every year. The birds stay for periods ranging from three months to five months, lay eggs and take the young hatchlings back with them. The researchers have called for continued surveillance of the avian flu virus, not only in poultry, but also in wild birds to prevent further spread of the new strains.
The antigenic and genetic characterization of the new strains of H6N2 bird flu virus isolated in India was described in the latest issue of the science journal Infection, Genetics and Evolution. The two reassortant strains showed different gene constellations. It is believed that the strains were introduced by migratory birds from Central Asia.
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