Earth Watch Report - Biological Hazards
Close to Arctowisky Station there is a huge penguin colony. by
José Nestor Cardoso
Wikimedia . org
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RSOE EDIS
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| Description |
| A
new kind of bird flu has been detected for the first time in
Antarctica. The virus has been found in Adelie penguins - although it
doesn't appear to make them sick. Researchers say the virus is unlike
any other avian flu known to science and raises a lot of unanswered
questions. The findings show avian influenza viruses can get down to
Antarctica and be maintained in penguin populations. |
| Biohazard name: | H5Nx - Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (new strain) |
| Biohazard level: | 4/4 Hazardous |
| Biohazard desc.: | Viruses
and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for
which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian
and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic
fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever,
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified
diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a
Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The
entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a
vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system,
and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the
biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured
to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water
service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will
undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility
of an accidental release. |
| Symptoms: | |
| Status: | confirmed |
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Distinct Avian Influenza Virus Identified in Antarctica Penguins
First Posted: May 06, 2014 09:06 AM EDT
Distinct
Avian Influenza Virus Identified in Antarctica Penguins (Photo : Aeron
Hurt, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza
in Melbourne, Australia.)
An international team of researchers has identified a distinct avian influenza virus in a group of Antarctica's Adelie penguins.
According to the
finding documented in the journal of American Society of Microbiology, the avian influenza virus is different from the circulating avian flu.
Studies conducted earlier did not detect the live influenza virus in Antarctic's penguins or other birds.
The
study was led by associate professor Aeron Hurt, PhD, a senior research
scientist at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on
Influenza in Melbourne, Australia.
The researchers worked on the
swab samples taken from Adelie penguins' windpipes. They also collected
samples from posterior openings. Apart from this, blood samples from 270
penguins were taken from two sites on the Antarctic Peninsula.
The two regions included Admiralty Bay and Rada Covadonga. All the samples were collected during January and February 2013.
Read More Here
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