In Light of H5N1........

[adreamer2]

I keep hearing that the Bird Flu is coming to the US.... It has hit China, France, Africa, Jerusalem, Indonesia, India, Bulgaria, Egypt, Britain, Austria, thailand, Greece, the UK.... and I think Hong Kong......

How do we protect koi from such a threat?.... Maybe a pond cover?... Maybe a greenhouse?.....

I can tell you.... About 2 years ago.... Here in Pittsburgh.... there were birds falling out of the sky..... They were sick..... I don't know why... But, in a two week span... three of them came to my house.... One of them walked in the open door... Was not even afraid as they usually are... and fell over dead after a half an hour.... The second one flew on the porch and died on the steps.... As likewise the third fell over in the yard.....

It never dawned on me that it could have been bird flu.... But, it was pretty disgusting to see these pigeons falling on the ground left and right.....

In think in light of H5N1 (bird flu)... We should not take this lightly......


Adreamer2

[mrbradleybradley]

I have not seen or heard of any reports that H5N1 (bird flu)... infect koi or other any other fish.

Bradley

[kingkong]

At least 60% of human pathogens are of animal origin. Influenzas of large-scale such as Avian Flu, can mutate and produce new viruses. There seems to be allot of paths floating around as of late. Mad cow, lobster shell disease, koi herpes, sars and avian flu to name a few.

[Regenmeneer]

Dreamer,

in many asian and european countries the H5N1 birdflu has been detected. In some of those countries, humans that have been in close contact have gotten ill and some died as well. Although as far as I know fish, and therefore our koi, are not able te attract the H5N1 virus, you could use the same measures to protect your koi as are being used to keep birds from attracting the birdflu.

As a mearure to keep birds from attracting the birdflu, all birds have to be taken inside, or if this is impossible for some reason, covered from above. This covering could be a simple sheet af plastic so wild birds cannot see them, make contact with them, etc.

I'm not afraid, but if you are afraid your koi might be infected by birds, cover your pond so the wild birds cannot get to it or that excrements from birds flying over cannot fall in.

Regenmeneer

[MikeM]

From all reports I've seen, the bird flu has not been detected in the U.S....yet. I believe the bird deaths two years ago were related to the West Nile encephalitis spread by mosquitoes.

[marco]

You'r right Mike, I had to go a few days ago to a reunion about H5N1.
This virus is a bird virus, and it's actually only dangerous for people living in close contact with infected birds.
So no reason to be affraid for our koï.
The probability of a virus mutation that could infect human directly by other human is so little that we can consider like impossible.
The worst that could happen is a recombination with a human influenza virus that could give an hybrid virus. If that happen, that could give death to a lot of people.
Today a lot of laboratory are working to find a vaccination, the first to find will be the richest .....so, be optimist .
Marco

[gaetano]

So far mostly birds living close to water (swans) have been detected to have died from the disease. If it would infect fish too we would definitely have heard of dying fish in the regions these swans came from.

Gaetano

[marco]

At the moment Ducks and swam seems to be the easiest infected birds in europe because of the migration.
Marco

[Kohaku]

I would worry more about youself than your fish. The deaths a few years beack were probably West Nile(as suggested).

[adreamer2]

It certainly could have been West Nile..... Man, there are so many new strains of everything out there... Things that don't even have a name yet..... But, I will be cautious regardless.........

Give it 10 years, and they'll tell us it will effect fish.....

Adreamer2