This project seeks to improve our understanding of the susceptibility and pathogenesis of pertinent strains of avian influenza viruses in diving duck species.
The Challenge: The susceptibility and pathogenesis of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) has not been characterized in numerous duck species, especially diving ducks (genera Melanitta, Aythya, and Oxyura), some of which migrate across the continental US. The few studies available (on Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula) suggest that they may shed high amounts of virus, but it is unclear whether they have the capacity to spread HPAI long distances.
The Science: This project is in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Southeast Poultry Disease Research Laboratory. The pathobiology of HPAI H5N2 was characterized in two diving duck species, Ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) and Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) whereby adult ducks and hatching eggs for both species were obtained from captive breeding colonies at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Patuxent, MD and exposed to three doses of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Virus shed, clinical disease, mortality, gross and microscopic lesions were evaluated. Due to the valuable information gained from this initial work we currently expanding this project to include new species and strains of avian influenza virus.
The Future: This study will help fill an important gap in our current state of knowledge on HPAI in wild birds, and would serve as input factors for disease transmission risk models. Understanding disease transmission in migratory wild birds has important consequences for human and environmental health and the economy; in recent outbreaks, wild birds were implicated as long-distance vectors for HPAI.
Below are publications associated with this project.
The pathogenesis of H7 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Clade 2.3.4.4 H5 North American highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses infect, but do not cause clinical signs in American Black Ducks (Anas rubripes)
The pathogenesis of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) and Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
This project seeks to improve our understanding of the susceptibility and pathogenesis of pertinent strains of avian influenza viruses in diving duck species.
The Challenge: The susceptibility and pathogenesis of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI) has not been characterized in numerous duck species, especially diving ducks (genera Melanitta, Aythya, and Oxyura), some of which migrate across the continental US. The few studies available (on Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula) suggest that they may shed high amounts of virus, but it is unclear whether they have the capacity to spread HPAI long distances.
The Science: This project is in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Southeast Poultry Disease Research Laboratory. The pathobiology of HPAI H5N2 was characterized in two diving duck species, Ruddy ducks (Oxyura jamaicensis) and Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) whereby adult ducks and hatching eggs for both species were obtained from captive breeding colonies at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Patuxent, MD and exposed to three doses of highly pathogenic avian influenza. Virus shed, clinical disease, mortality, gross and microscopic lesions were evaluated. Due to the valuable information gained from this initial work we currently expanding this project to include new species and strains of avian influenza virus.
The Future: This study will help fill an important gap in our current state of knowledge on HPAI in wild birds, and would serve as input factors for disease transmission risk models. Understanding disease transmission in migratory wild birds has important consequences for human and environmental health and the economy; in recent outbreaks, wild birds were implicated as long-distance vectors for HPAI.
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
The pathogenesis of H7 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Waterfowl are the natural hosts of avian influenza virus (AIV), and through migration spread the virus worldwide. Most AIVs carried by wild waterfowl are low pathogenic strains; however, Goose/Guangdong/1996 lineage clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenic (HP) AIV now appears to be endemic in wild birds in much of the Eastern Hemisphere. Most research efforts studying AIV pathogenicity in waterfowl thuClade 2.3.4.4 H5 North American highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses infect, but do not cause clinical signs in American Black Ducks (Anas rubripes)
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) from the goose/Guangdong/1996 clade 2.3.4.4 H5 lineage spread from Asia into North America in 2014, most likely by wild bird migrations. Although several variants of the virus were detected, an H5N8 and H5N2 were the most widespread in North American wild birds and domestic poultry. In early 2015, the H5N2 virus spread through commercial poultry inThe pathogenesis of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) and Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Waterfowl are the natural hosts of avian influenza virus (AIV) and disseminate the virus worldwide through migration. Historically, surveillance and research efforts for AIV in waterfowl have focused on dabbling ducks. The role of diving ducks in AIV ecology has not been well characterized. In this study, we examined the relative susceptibility and pathogenicity of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogen - Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.