Persistence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Waterfowl in a Southern African Ecosystem
Short Communication
First Online:
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
- 295 Downloads
- 21 Citations
Abstract
Waterfowl were counted and sampled in a Zimbabwean wetland over 24 months. LPAI strains were detected during 20 consecutive months, providing evidence of regional yearly persistence of LPAI. We discuss the role of Afro-tropical ducks in viral maintenance and transmission, and attempt to explain the observed patterns.
Keywords
avian influenza waterfowl AfricaNotes
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to the many people who assisted with the bird counts and capture, particularly Fadzai Matzvimbo and Innocent Magunje. The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Zimbabwean Veterinary Services kindly granted permission to work in areas under their jurisdiction. This work was conducted within the framework of the “Mesures d’Urgence” and GRIPAVI projects, and the Research Platform “Production and Conservation in Partnership” (RP–PCP). It benefited from funds from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Additional funding support was provided by the USAID through the Wildlife Conservation Society’s GAINS (Global Avian Influenza Network for Surveillance) program, and the South African Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
References
- Abolnik C (2007) Detection of a North American lineage H5 avian influenza virus in a South African wild duck. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 74:177–180PubMedGoogle Scholar
- Abolnik C, Bisschop S, Gerdes T, Olivier A, Horner R (2007) Outbreaks of avian influenza H6N2 viruses in chickens arose by a reassortment of H6N8 and H9N2 ostrich viruses. Virus Genes 34:37–45PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Abolnik C, Cornelius E, Bisschop SPR, Romito M, Verwoerd D (2006) Phylogenetic analyses of genes from South Africa LPAI viruses isolated in 2004 from wild aquatic birds suggests introduction by Eurasian migrants. In: OIE/FAO International Scientific Conference on Avian Influenza, Basel, Switzerland: KargerGoogle Scholar
- Abolnik C, Londt BZ, Manvell RJ, Shell W, Banks J, Gerdes GH, et al. (2009) Characterisation of a highly pathogenic influenza A virus of subtype H5N2 isolated from ostriches in South Africa in 2004. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 3:63–68PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Breban R, Drake JM, Stallknecht DE, Rohani P (2009) The role of environmental transmission in recurrent avian influenza epidemics. PLoS Computational Biology 5:e1000346PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Brown JD, Goekjian G, Poulson R, Valeika S, Stallknecht DE (2009) Avian influenza virus in water: infectivity is dependent on pH, salinity and temperature. Veterinary Microbiology 136:20–26PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Caron A, Gaidet N, de Garine-Wichatitsky M, Morand S, Cameron EZ (2009) Evolutionary biology, community ecology and avian influenza research. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 9:298–303PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Cattoli G, Monne I, Fusaro A, Joannis TM, Lombin LH, Aly MM, et al. (2009) Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 in Africa: a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis and molecular characterization of isolates. PloS ONE 4:e4842PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Ducatez MF, Olinger CM, Owoade AA, Tarnagda Z, Tahita MC, Sow A, et al. (2007) Molecular and antigenic evolution and geographical spread of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in western Africa. Journal of General Virology 88:2297–2306PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Gaidet N, Cattoli G, Hammoumi S, Newman SH, Hagemeijer W, Takekawa JY, et al. (2008) Evidence of infection by H5N2 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in healthy wild waterfowl. PLoS Pathogens 4:e1000127PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Gaidet N, Dodman T, Caron A, Balança G, Desvaux S, Goutard F, et al. (2006) Influenza A viruses in waterbirds in Africa. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13:626–629CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Kilpatrick AM, Chmura AA, Gibbons DW, Fleischer RC, Marra PP, Daszak P (2006) Predicting the global spread of H5N1 avian influenza. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 103:19368–19373PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Krauss S, Walker D, Pryor SP, Niles L, Chenghong L, Hinshaw VS, et al. (2004) Influenza A viruses of migrating wild aquatic birds in North America. Vector Borne Zoonotic Diseases 4:177–189CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- OIE (2008) Avian influenza. In: Manual of diagnostic tests and vaccines for terrestrial animals, Paris: OIE, pp 1–20Google Scholar
- Olsen B, Munster VJ, Wallensten A, Waldenstrom J, Osterhaus AD, Fouchier RA (2006) Global patterns of influenza A virus in wild birds. Science 312:384–388PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Rohani P, Breban R, Stallknecht DE, Drake JM (2009) Environmental transmission of low pathogenicity avian influenza viruses and its implications for pathogen invasion. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 106:10365–10369PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Stallknecht DE, Kearney MT, Shane SM, Zwank PJ (1990) Effects of pH, temperature, and salinity on persistence of avian influenza viruses in water. Avian Diseases 34:412–418PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Wallensten A, Munster VJ, Latorre-Margalef N, Brytting M, Elmberg J, Fouchier RA, et al. (2007) Surveillance of influenza A virus in migratory waterfowls in northern Europe. Emerging Infectious Diseases 13:404–411PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Webster RG, Bean WJ, Gorman OT, Chambers TM, Kawaoka Y (1992) Evolution and ecology of influenza A viruses. Microbiological Reviews 56:152–179PubMedGoogle Scholar
Copyright information
© International Association for Ecology and Health 2010