No avian flu in Michigan swans

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced yesterday that the two Mute Swans in Michigan tested for avian flu do not pose a threat to humans.

The USDA National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed the presence of the "North American strain" of low pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in one of twenty samples collected from the two wild mute swans. Preliminary test results announced on August 14 indicated that an H5N1 strain could be present in two of the collected samples.

Only one of the samples contained high enough levels of the virus to conduct confirmatory testing. As previously announced, genetic testing ruled out the possibility that either of the samples carried the highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 avian influenza that is circulating overseas.