By RONI REINO
rreino@fosters.com
Wednesday, December 21, 2011


PORTSMOUTH — The death of 162 seals that washed up along the New England coast this year could be linked to a virus similar to one found in birds.

Since Sept. 1, officials have been investigating the unusual occurrence, saying they are still collecting data, testing and continuing research. The dead harbor seals were collected along Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts coasts by the New England Aquarium.

"This H3N8 virus is usually associated with wild birds, and a separate group of H3N8 infects horses and dogs," said Dr. Hon Ip, of the USGS's National Wildlife Health Center. "This is the first time that a virus which is similar to the H3N8 avian influenza virus has been associated with a large scale mortality in marine mammals."

The influenza A virus subtype has never before been seen in harbor seals. Officials said it caused the death of at least five of the 162 animals that washed up on New England shores this year. Experts believe that influenza A virus caused a bacterial pneumonia which was responsible for the death of the seals.

In most cases in the past where land animals were infected with the H3N8 virus and suffered upper respiratory infections, they recovered. This is the first time it has been seen in harbor seals.

Tests have only been completed on five of the animals. Many may not be viable candidates for testing because their remains were badly decayed, said Maggie Mooney-Seus, communications officer for the Northeast Region National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service.

Read more here: http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111221/GJNEWS_01/712219947/-1/fosnews

This is a story to keep an eye on!!

I am very wary of any "Bird Flu" issues - especially when our dear "Scientists" have an opinion. Too many red flag "proofs" being issued imo.

The fact that so many biologists were off'd in the past years for trying to spill the beans on what the Elite (MY NEW TERM FOR THE "PTB's" as that is what the hold themselves to be!) want out there as our education with their Eugenics plans in mind for the sheeples...

Agree, Sky. This whole story raised the hairs on the back of my neck.

I first got started online with the whole avian influenza scare back several years ago. That's what got me to post on forums and also prep.

I checked some of my old Internet haunts yesterday and found, sadly, that so many good sources of information have disappeared.

All the more reason to try and rebuild them here