June 14, 2004

Bird flu Likely Brought To Japan By Wild Birds

The bird flu epidemic which broke out in Japan this year, may have been caused by wild birds bringing the virus from Asia to Japan. Agents such as mice, humans and water carried it to chicken farms, members of a government research team said Friday.

"It is possible that wild birds brought the virus from affected countries in Asia and it was then brought into poultry houses through mice, sparrows, crows, humans, water and the like," said Nobuyuki Terakado, who heads the team.