Can mosquitoes spread the avian H5N1 virus?
Don’t believe everything the government tells you.
Detection of H5N1 avian influenza virus from mosquitoes collected in an infected poultry farm in Thailand.
Source
Center of Excellence for Vectors and Vector-Borne Diseases, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhonpathom, Thailand.
Abstract
Blood-engorged mosquitoes were collected at poultry farms during an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Central Thailand during October 2005. These mosquitoes tested positive for H5N1 virus by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results were confirmed by limited sequencing of the H5 and N1 segments. Infection and replication of this virus in the C6/36 mosquito cell line was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. However, transmission by mosquitoes was not evaluated, and further research is needed. Collecting and testing mosquitoes engorged with the blood of domestic or wild animals could be a valuable tool for veterinary and public health authorities who conduct surveillance for H5N1 virus spread.
For a more complete answer, the CDC has a fairly in-depth report here: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/12/10/05-1577_article.htm
Key Part: "A key difference between mosquitoborne WNV and birdborne HPAI H5N1 is the virtual absence of effective reservoir hosts other than birds for the latter. WNV can be maintained without birds because infected mosquitoes can pass active virus to subsequent generations through vertical transmission (35). So far as is known, no alternative to birds exists as major reservoir hosts for HPAI H5N1."
However: Humans and other mammals normally are not susceptible to infection by avian influenza A viruses. Nevertheless, several subtypes of avian influenza or bird-origin influenza viruses have infected humans; 3 of these subtypes have caused pandemics within the past century. At present, HPAI H5N1 is entirely an avian influenza subtype.
So, the avian virus HPAI H5N1 is an abnormality, having spread from birds to humans. What happens when enough humans are infected?
CDC: "The more humans infected with HPAI H5N1, the greater the probability that reassortment with a human influenza virus strain will occur and produce a lethal form that is spread readily between humans (18,19)."
Which, in turn, could make the possibility of a mosquito borne HPAI H5N1 a possibility.
As mentioned in my first post, no one thought mosquitoes could become infected with the virus. That now appears, however, not to be the case with H5N1.
This stuff is, in short, mutating at an alarming rate. And it does not appear beyond possibility that mosquitoes could carry and transmit the HPAI H5N1 virus.
