1. Surveillance of Influenza Virus A in Migratory Waterfowl in Northern Europe
- Author
-
Jonas Waldenström, Malin Karlsson, Vincent J. Munster, Bjorn R. Olsen, Martin Stervander, Thord Fransson, Mia Brytting, Neus Latorre-Margalef, Åke Lundkvist, Anders Wallensten, Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus, Johan Elmberg, Paul D. Haemig, and Ron A. M. Fouchier
- Subjects
Male ,Microbiology (medical) ,Anas ,Veterinary medicine ,animal structures ,Epidemiology ,animal diseases ,viruses ,prevalence ,lcsh:Medicine ,Animals, Wild ,medicine.disease_cause ,Virus ,lcsh:Infectious and parasitic diseases ,Disease Outbreaks ,Species Specificity ,medicine ,Influenza A virus ,Animals ,lcsh:RC109-216 ,Poultry Diseases ,Sweden ,biology ,Transmission (medicine) ,Research ,lcsh:R ,virus diseases ,Outbreak ,Systematic sampling ,biology.organism_classification ,Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ,Ducks ,Infectious Diseases ,Migratory waterfowl ,influenza in birds ,surveillance ,Animal Migration ,Female ,avian influenza ,Seasons ,Sentinel Surveillance ,Forecasting - Abstract
Ducks may maintain influenza virus from 1 year to the next., We conducted large-scale, systematic sampling of influenza type A virus in migratory waterfowl (mostly mallards [Anas platyrhynchos]) at Ottenby Bird Observatory, southeast Sweden. As with previous studies, we found a higher prevalence in fall than spring, and among juveniles compared with adults. However, in contrast to other studies, we found that prevalence in spring was sometimes high (mean 4.0%, highest 9.5%). This finding raises the possibility that ducks are capable of perpetuating influenza A virus of different subtypes and subtype combinations throughout the year and from 1 year to the next. Isolation of the H5 and H7 subtypes was common, which suggests risk for transmission to sensitive domestic animals such as poultry. We argue that wild bird screening can function as a sentinel system, and we give an example of how it could have been used to forecast a remote and deadly outbreak of influenza A in poultry.
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF