This article discussed the patterns of influenza and how it
mutates among generations and how these strains reach different parts of the
globe. The avian flu seasons run parallel with the migratory patterns of
certain trans-oceanic birds that end up mingling with local species of birds, especially
along shorelines where certain food resources are abundant during times of the
year. In the Delaware Bay and surrounding areas, the common birds that bring
the strains of influenza each year are the Red Knots and Ruddy Turnstones.
These birds migrate from the southern tip of South America to the Delaware Bay
to feed on the food resources along the shorelines, especially horseshoe crab
eggs. Along the shorelines these influenza strains carrying birds share disease
with local birds like dunlins, sandpipers, sanderlings, herring gulls, and
laughing gulls. Ruddy Turnstones have a low antibody count to influenza and by
the time they reach their breeding grounds about 60% of the populations is
exposed to the virus. This common food source creates a pool of disease
transfer between different bird species, which allows to the virus to be
transferred to other animals and thus humans. Birds can die from the strains of
influenza and die offs of bird species can allow scientists to pinpoint where
certain strains of influenza are currenting being exchanged in the world. 119
countries sample dead wild bird populations for new avian flu strains, but for
decades scientists in the Delaware Bay have been swabbing live birds for
diseases. Influenza in the Americas follows the winter bird migration mainly
and spikes the avian flu only occur after generations cycle the strains and new
strains arise in populations that have lower antibodies for that particular
strain. The influenza virus is made up of 8 pieces of RNA that can mix in a
pool of different RNA strands creating new strains. The most common seasonal
flu virus is H3N2 and H1N2. These are genes for tracking the flu where “H” is hemagglutinin and “N” is neuraminidase, which help the virus bind to cells in
the respiratory track. There are 16 different “H” gene variants and 9 different
“N” gene variants creating 150 possible strains. Each of these strains has the
potential to mutate across generations and in the pools of birds that transfer
the disease. The most common points of transfer between birds and humans occurs
in Asia at wet bird markets and poultry farms where birds are kept in crowded
and stressful environments creating a perfect situation of the flu to spike in
reproduction and transfer rates. These birds that are then infected mingle with
birds that have intersecting flyway migratory paths that expose themselves to
species of birds that make trans-oceanic migrations.
https://www.audubon.org/magazine/fall-2020/how-migrating-birds-could-warn-us-next-pandemic
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