A strain of highly pathogenic bird flu previously not recorded in sub-Saharan Africa has been detected in Nigeria, the UN food agency said today.
Laboratory results from Nigeria and a Food and Agriculture reference laboratory in Italy show that the newly discovered virus strain is genetically different from the strains that circulated in Nigeria in 2006 and 2007, the Rome-based agency said in a statement.
"The detection of a new avian influenza virus strain in Africa raises serious concerns as it remains unknown how this strain has been introduced to the continent," warned Scott Newman of the FAO's Animal Health Service.
The new strain is similar to ones previously identified in Italy, Afghanistan and Iran last year, the FAO said.
