Genetic test suggests Brazil’s bird flu cases in farm and zoo share same strain

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (Reuters) – The results of genetic tests suggested that Brazil’s first outbreak of bird flu on a commercial poultry farm in the state of Rio Grande do Sul shares the strain with cases in zoo animals in the same state, an official told Reuters on Tuesday.

Rosane Collares, a director at the state’s agriculture department, said is not yet possible to ascertain a direct relation between the two outbreaks.

(Reporting by Debora Ely in Porto Alegre; Writing by Andre Romani; Editing by Leslie Adler)