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Influenza A investigated in New England seal deaths

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Influenza A investigated in New England seal deaths

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Animal health officials in New England are exploring the role influenza A may have played in a large number of seal deaths reported along the region's coast since September, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a Nov 4 statement. Preliminary pathology, toxin, and virology tests on five seals found that that all tested positive for influenza A. NOAA cautioned that the results only apply to those five seals, and more tests are under way to determine what led to the deaths of 146 seals. The die-off has been declared an "unusual mortality event," which allows NOAA to devote more resources to determining the cause of death. Dr Teri Rowles, from NOAA's fisheries services, in the statement warned people to avoid exposing themselves and their pets to the seals as authorities gauge if there are any potential risks to human health.

CIDRAP news service, Monday 7 November 2011
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/nov0711flluscan.html