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Bird Flu Found in Weasel-Like Mammal in Germany

Posted on: Thursday, 9 March 2006, 09:15 CST

BERLIN -- German authorities have identified a marten infected with H5N1 bird flu, the second species of mammal to be found with the virus in the country, the Friedrich Loeffler Institute said on Thursday.

The discovery of the virus in the marten, a weasel-like creature, came days after three domestic cats were found to have the highly pathogenic strain of the disease in Germany.

The institute said it was the first time a marten or similar creature had been identified with the disease but the discovery did not mean the nature of the threat had changed.

"Although another type of mammal has been affected, the basic assessment of the infection situation remains unchanged," said Thomas Mettenleiter, director of the institute which coordinates research and information on the bird flu infection.

The World Health Organization has said the spreading of the virus to a cat probably does not increase the risk to humans but some experts have said cat-to-human transmission cannot be ruled out.

The marten was caught alive on the northern island of Ruegen, where the cats and most of the birds infected with the disease in Germany have been found. It was later put down.

Source: REUTERS

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