I must honestly admit that I was a quarter of the way through this article, all the while trying to imagine the the possible significance, even scrolling back to discover that you were the author! Pressing on, it finally dawned on me this wasn't a human interest story about some "poor flock of Canadian ostrich," and a good Samaritan's effort to save them, but rather another completely misguided attempt by a US government official - a known master grifting physician, no less - who was attempting to interfere in the public health ministrations of a sovereign nation they believe incompetent. And worse yet, he is willing to potentially destroy a US industry and harm multi-species in the interest of his own devices. The word "outrageous" hardly begins to describe Oz' ignorance and misguided efforts. And while, as you point out, the laws in place to prevent him seem insurmountable, this administration is relentless and continuously portrays itself as a victim and persecuted. A stalwart vanguard is essential, and you are the one.
Of course the usual suspects (grifters and fame cravers) have to make something out if it that it’s not. No one wants to see the birds culled, but more than that we don’t want to see a pandemic again, either. And I love birds, I have several parrots. My dad was a breeder. I can clearly remember the Newcastles outbreak in the early 70’s when an illegal imported parrot infected breeding flocks in California. It wasn’t long before it spread to poultry, rapidly infected whole flocks of commercial poultry. I was only about 8 at the time but I remember how scared we were that our pets were going to be taken away. Luckily the cull only applied to California and it worked after a couple of years. Heartbreaking? Absolutely. But the alternative would have been devastating. Oz and Co know this but they aren’t going to miss a chance to get a dig in when they can.
Yikes! Thanks for this detailed report on the Canadian ostrich weirdo cult. Will there be no end to the damage our (US) ignorance is wreaking on the world?
If anyone’s got 15min, this provides a good overview of how US owned media in Canada is manufacturing/amplifying the same sort of Right Wing performative outrage stories north of the border that they do in the US.
The “Wellness” weirdos are just one aspect of the standard playbook to feign anger over supposed government overreach.
Interestingly it is not a "farm" story as any Western Canadian producer of chickens, cattle and other livestock is well aware of animal infection risk and that the flock/herd/etc has to be culled in the interest of food safety and to prevent the risk of transmission to other producers.
I was very surprised that there is a more insidious business story behind all the self-propaganda and how it is being turned into another Canadian Western alienation story by the right wing press about central government injustice on a poor farmer trying to just get along - even though this is not a farmer story.
No wonder the American right wing is tagging the story.
I watched the interview on the CBC News You Tube Channel and they had to turn off the comments section - so I guess the western wackos were in full liberation mode.
Dr. Rasmussen, if ostriches are known to have low CFRs or IFRs to HPAIs, how do you explain the loss of 69 birds over a month out of a flock of approximately 300?
The CFIA quotes a study that suggests ostriches may be an intermediary species and as such may be a vector for reassortment towards mammalian mutation.
Do intermediary species typically show lower symptoms and IFRs towards zoonotic viruses?
The paper referenced by CFIA shows that growing H5N1 in ostrich cells selects for mutations that allow H5 HA to bind to the human flu receptor. You can’t determine anything about pathogenesis via that experiment.
Can you please paraphrase what the CFIA is implying when it says "Even when ostriches appear healthy, they can still spread disease. Scientific research has demonstrated that ostriches are known to spontaneously develop mutations making the virus more infectious to mammalian species. Sustained and repeated infections in these birds increase the opportunity for this mutation to occur"?
What they mean is ostriches can be infected and not show any symptoms. In addition, the paper they reference shows that infection of ostrich cells can select for mammalian-adaptive mutations, because of those experiments in cell culture. So a seemingly healthy ostrich could be infected, and those infections could lead to viruses that have mutations that make them grow better in mammalian hosts.
Thank you for that clarification. Sensed that was what they were trying to say.
So difficult at my level, to understand how an animal who has achieved adaptive level immunity could continue to function as a viral incubator and a reservoir for continued viral mutation.
I must honestly admit that I was a quarter of the way through this article, all the while trying to imagine the the possible significance, even scrolling back to discover that you were the author! Pressing on, it finally dawned on me this wasn't a human interest story about some "poor flock of Canadian ostrich," and a good Samaritan's effort to save them, but rather another completely misguided attempt by a US government official - a known master grifting physician, no less - who was attempting to interfere in the public health ministrations of a sovereign nation they believe incompetent. And worse yet, he is willing to potentially destroy a US industry and harm multi-species in the interest of his own devices. The word "outrageous" hardly begins to describe Oz' ignorance and misguided efforts. And while, as you point out, the laws in place to prevent him seem insurmountable, this administration is relentless and continuously portrays itself as a victim and persecuted. A stalwart vanguard is essential, and you are the one.
Fabulous essay! I learned a lot. "I am sympathetic to the ostriches’ tragic fate, but they do need to be culled."
Yes.
Heard a radio program the other day where it was clear the intent was to raise sympathy for the birds and their owners. Sigh.
thorough research into this snake-oil business and its anti-vaxx supporters. The flock must be completely culled.
Of course the usual suspects (grifters and fame cravers) have to make something out if it that it’s not. No one wants to see the birds culled, but more than that we don’t want to see a pandemic again, either. And I love birds, I have several parrots. My dad was a breeder. I can clearly remember the Newcastles outbreak in the early 70’s when an illegal imported parrot infected breeding flocks in California. It wasn’t long before it spread to poultry, rapidly infected whole flocks of commercial poultry. I was only about 8 at the time but I remember how scared we were that our pets were going to be taken away. Luckily the cull only applied to California and it worked after a couple of years. Heartbreaking? Absolutely. But the alternative would have been devastating. Oz and Co know this but they aren’t going to miss a chance to get a dig in when they can.
Yikes! Thanks for this detailed report on the Canadian ostrich weirdo cult. Will there be no end to the damage our (US) ignorance is wreaking on the world?
If anyone’s got 15min, this provides a good overview of how US owned media in Canada is manufacturing/amplifying the same sort of Right Wing performative outrage stories north of the border that they do in the US.
The “Wellness” weirdos are just one aspect of the standard playbook to feign anger over supposed government overreach.
The more you know…🌠
https://youtu.be/GgcgD-RsdQs?si=7M5wEdJ-TcLVJf_S
Interestingly it is not a "farm" story as any Western Canadian producer of chickens, cattle and other livestock is well aware of animal infection risk and that the flock/herd/etc has to be culled in the interest of food safety and to prevent the risk of transmission to other producers.
I was very surprised that there is a more insidious business story behind all the self-propaganda and how it is being turned into another Canadian Western alienation story by the right wing press about central government injustice on a poor farmer trying to just get along - even though this is not a farmer story.
No wonder the American right wing is tagging the story.
I watched the interview on the CBC News You Tube Channel and they had to turn off the comments section - so I guess the western wackos were in full liberation mode.
Having visited a few rabbit holes myself, did you have to reset your brain too?
Dr. Rasmussen, if ostriches are known to have low CFRs or IFRs to HPAIs, how do you explain the loss of 69 birds over a month out of a flock of approximately 300?
Not much is known. Pathogenicity is dependent on age, so it may be that the dead ostriches were younger.
Thanks Dr. Rasmussen. That is what UOF argues.
The CFIA quotes a study that suggests ostriches may be an intermediary species and as such may be a vector for reassortment towards mammalian mutation.
Do intermediary species typically show lower symptoms and IFRs towards zoonotic viruses?
The paper referenced by CFIA shows that growing H5N1 in ostrich cells selects for mutations that allow H5 HA to bind to the human flu receptor. You can’t determine anything about pathogenesis via that experiment.
Can you please paraphrase what the CFIA is implying when it says "Even when ostriches appear healthy, they can still spread disease. Scientific research has demonstrated that ostriches are known to spontaneously develop mutations making the virus more infectious to mammalian species. Sustained and repeated infections in these birds increase the opportunity for this mutation to occur"?
This is the paper they reference: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26860437_Ostrich_Involvement_in_the_Selection_of_H5N1_Influenza_Virus_Possessing_Mammalian-Type_Amino_Acids_in_the_PB2_Protein
I really appreciate your help.
What they mean is ostriches can be infected and not show any symptoms. In addition, the paper they reference shows that infection of ostrich cells can select for mammalian-adaptive mutations, because of those experiments in cell culture. So a seemingly healthy ostrich could be infected, and those infections could lead to viruses that have mutations that make them grow better in mammalian hosts.
Thank you for that clarification. Sensed that was what they were trying to say.
So difficult at my level, to understand how an animal who has achieved adaptive level immunity could continue to function as a viral incubator and a reservoir for continued viral mutation.