MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Scientific research study on Avian Influenza Virus, HPAIV

The study demonstrates the expansion of the geographical distribution area of the disease

Nature Communications has published and made public an extensive report with full results on field sampling and diagnosis of the deadly Bird Flu virus, high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV), detected in the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, which apparently is rapidly spreading to sea birds and mammals species in sub-Antarctica islands and the frozen continent.

The study was done by an important group of UK, Australian scientists, and from the Falklands, Zoe Fowler, who during the summers of 2022 and 2023 tracked and researched infected avian species. Basically conclusions on the outbreaks point to migratory species from South America

Accordingly the report “demonstrate the expansion of the geographical distribution area of this disease and highlight the potential ecological impact and threat it poses to wildlife living in this remote location”.

The full study with migration maps can be looked up at “Detection and spread of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus H5N1 in the Antarctic Region”, in Nature Communications. Article number: 7433 (2024)