H5N1 Avian Influenza Goes Undercover

Indonesian researchers have found H5N1 avian influenza in chickens that appeared to be healthy, raising fears of the disease spreading without the telltale bird deaths that currently mark its progress. If that happens, people will likely be infected while handling poultry that looks safe but is deadly.

Hong Kong-based researchers have also detected such "asymptomatic" chickens and other poultry in mainland Chinese markets in recent years, which they believe were responsible for most of the H5N1 human infections there.

The findings put a damper on the apparently good news that Indonesia's
H5N1-related poultry deaths have dropped -- just 12,000 birds died or were destroyed this year, down from 1.75 million last year.

On a side note, it's interesting to read this post in tandem with the previous post on antibiotic resistance: the latter involved evolution on a small scale, but the pattern is the same as on this one. If birds that quickly display H5N1 symptoms are destroyed, then more subtle strains fluourish.

Related Wired coverage here and here.

Indonesia finds asymptomatic H5N1-infected poultry [Reuters]

Image: Nigelito