Tracing the H5N1 virus by tracking birds through satellites

To understand the routes of migrating birds in Africa and the role of these wild birds in the spread of the H5N1 virus that causes bird flu, a group of French researchers belonging to Nicolas Gaidet The Institute for Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD) led a campaign to monitor 45 birds via satellites equipped with tiny Argos pepper piles.

The campaign, funded by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has selected three species of birds: the winter holiday crowded bird species on the black continent, allowing to follow the journey across Asia. In Europe and Africa, the yellow-headed duck does not leave Africa but makes long journeys from one country to another and African ducks with the highest numbers move in the local area depending on the sources. country.

Birds equipped with Argos pepper poles weighing between 12 and 30g were captured at three strategic points: northern Nigeria where the H5N1 virus has been around for over a year, the Niger river delta in Mali, where sleep The largest population of ducks and Malawi. Accurate mapping of the journeys of these three birds will help to better predict the risk of developing the H5N1 virus in Africa.

Until now, researchers have not found in Africa any healthy wild duck carrying the virus HN51 proving that birds can carry the H5N1 virus from one continent to another. Trade exchanges may be the source of the first bird flu outbreak in an industrial farm in Nigeria.

According to Gaidet, the only healthy ducks carrying the H5N1 virus were discovered in January 2005 in Northeast China. Six healthy ducks carrying viruses in a group of 4,600 birds continue to cast doubt on the role of migratory birds in the process of spreading avian influenza viruses from Asia.