Three grizzly bears have been killed in Montana, US, after testing positive for the “highly pathogenic” bird flu virus HPAI, according to the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks.
According to Dr. Jennifer Ramsey, a wildlife veterinarian, these are the first reported cases of bird flu in grizzly bears in Montana and the first cases in the country of the current HPAI outbreak.
The young bears were spotted at three different locations in the western part of the state in the fall, the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Parks said in a statement.
Neurological problems in mammals
The bears “were in poor condition, disoriented and partially blind, among other neurological problems,” the statement said. “They were euthanized due to illness and poor condition.”
Avian influenza is caused by a virus that spreads rapidly among birds. Cases of HPAI were reported last year in a ferret and fox in Montana, and in raccoons, black bears and coyotes in other states and countries, according to the Montana agency.
“The virus is transmitted from one bird to another,” Dr. Ramsey told CNN, estimating that the mammals likely became infected by “eating the carcasses of HPAI-infected birds.”
“Fortunately, unlike birds, there have been a few reported cases of (infected) mammals in North America,” Ramsey said. “At this point, we are continuing to screen all bears with neurological symptoms and those whose cause of death is unknown.”
While the discovery of three grizzly bears with avian flu in a short period of time could raise concerns, Ramsey believes there could well be more cases that go unnoticed.
When wildlife deaths occur in such small populations and among species such as ferrets, foxes and bears that are not on display for a long time, case detection can be difficult, the veterinarian explained.
“When a lot of birds are found dead in the water, it is noticed and reported…but when someone sees a dead ferret, they may not think about it or report it.”
While it is not known how widespread the virus is in wild birds, “we do know that the virus has spread across the state due to the high prevalence of HPAI deaths in some wild bird species,” Ramsey said.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced last November that the country is approaching “a record number of infected birds compared to previous bird flu outbreaks,” with more than 49 million birds dying or dying (due to contact with infected birds) in 46 states.
Human infection is rare, but possible, “usually after close contact with infected birds. The current risk to the general public from avian influenza viruses is low,” the CDC writes on its website.
The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks is asking citizens to report sightings of birds or other animals behaving “unusually” or when they see “unexplained illness and/or death.”
Source: CNN
Source: Kathimerini
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