Editor's Summary

6 July 2006

Flying in

Nigeria was the first country in Africa to report the emergence of H5N1 bird flu in February 2006. The country is particularly at risk because chickens are imported from all over the world without rigorous biosecurity safeguards, and there are many bird sanctuaries along the migration routes linking Nigeria to southern Russian and western Asia. An analysis of DNA sequences in H5N1 from infected poultry in Lagos state now points to wild birds as the likely source. Three H5N1 lineages seem to have been introduced independently by migratory birds, though independent trade imports cannot be excluded.

Brief Communications: Avian Flu: Multiple introductions of H5N1 in Nigeria

Phylogenetic analysis reveals that this deadly virus first arrived in Africa from different sources.

M. F. Ducatez, C. M. Olinger, A. A. Owoade, S. De Landtsheer, W. Ammerlaan, H. G. M. Niesters, A. D. M. E. Osterhaus, R. A. M. Fouchier & C. P. Muller

doi:10.1038/442037a

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