NightBlogger

Recombinomics Commentary 21:22
May 24, 2008
The recent sequence data from Japan and Russia and the reported identities of 99.7% or greater with the isolates from South Korea clearly demonstrate a global expansion of the Fujian (clade 2.3) strain of H5N1. None of these countries has previously reported the Fujian strain, raising concerns that the strain is poised for a dramatic global expansion similar to the expansion of clade 2.2 which began in the spring of 2005 at Qinghai Lake. Clade 2.2 migrated to Chany Lake in Novosibirsk in Siberia and the Erhel Lake in ongolia in the summer of 2005, and then spread to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa in late 2005 / early 2006 as well as south Asia in the same time frame. Read more

Recombinomics Commentary 20:41
May 23, 2008
The match between the Fujian H5N1 sequences in Primorsky, Russia with multiple sequences from northern Japan and the record outbreak in South Korea leaves little doubt that a global expansion of Fujian clade 2.3 sequences has begun. H5N1 has never been reported in northern Japan or southeastern Russia and prior outbreaks in South Korea and Japan have been at the end of the year when birds are migrating into the region. The current outbreaks are in the spring, when birds are migrating out of the region.

The tracks of outbreaks (see satellite map) signal movement to the north and will likely migrate Fujian H5N1 into new regions. Although such movements may have happened previously, but not detected, the record levels in South Korea and the multiple locations in northern Japan suggest that the current levels are higher. Read more