USGS Wild Bird Avian Influenza Program – Studies from Endemic Regions of Eurasia Active
This project focuses on tracking wild birds throughout Eurasia via satellite telemetry to better understand their spatiotemporal movement patterns, relationship to domestic birds, and potential role in the spread, persistence, and amplification of avian influenza viruses.
Following outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Eurasia, many researchers have attempted to determine how this virus spreads across the landscape. Unfortunately, prior to this work, most studies on HPAI movements were based on virology data alone, with no information on host ecology. Beginning in 2007, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center and Western Ecological Research Center developed a Wild Bird Avian Influenza Program to improve the scientific understanding of the role wild bird’s play in the circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Our research began with marking waterfowl species from Qinghai Lake, China, with satellite telemetry units to understand movement patterns and exposure to poultry and virus risk factors. In an expanded partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and multiple local partners, we have marked more than 650 waterfowl of 24 species within HPAI zones of persistence. The work spans 11 countries and the 4 main flyways of Eurasia (East African – West Asian, Black Sea - Mediterranean, Central Asian, and East Asian flyway). Using remote sensing, spatial, and statistical approaches we have modeled H5N1 transmission risk between wild and domestic bird populations, incorporating uncertainty within the modeling process. Our studies provide new information that counters some hypothesized movements proposed in prior studies and stress the need for a combined approach of virology and ecology of wild host species.
This study has, and will continue to, provide valuable insight into risk factors for the spread of HPAI, and the role wild bird’s play in transmitting such viruses across the landscape. By continuing to increase and analyze this data set we hope to provide researchers with a better understanding of this emerging issue.
Prosser, D. J. 2012. Wild birds and emerging diseases: modeling avian influenza transmission risk between domestic and wild birds in China. Ph. D. dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. xi, 229 pp.
Wild bird migration across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: A transmission route for highly pathogenic H5N1
Flying over an infected landscape: Distribution of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 risk in South Asia and satellite tracking of wild waterfowl
Victims and vectors: highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 and the ecology of wild birds
Migration of waterfowl in the east asian flyway and spatial relationship to HPAI H5N1 outbreaks
Rice production systems and avian influenza: Interactions between mixed-farming systems, poultry and wild birds
Persistence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus defined by agro-ecological niche
Potential spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wildfowl: dispersal ranges and rates determined from large-scale satellite telemetry
Understanding the potential dispersal of HPAI H5N1 virus by migratory wildfowl
Migration of whooper swans and outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus in Eastern Asia
Satellite-marked waterfowl reveal migratory connection between H5N1 outbreak areas in China and Mongolia
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
This project focuses on tracking wild birds throughout Eurasia via satellite telemetry to better understand their spatiotemporal movement patterns, relationship to domestic birds, and potential role in the spread, persistence, and amplification of avian influenza viruses.
Following outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Eurasia, many researchers have attempted to determine how this virus spreads across the landscape. Unfortunately, prior to this work, most studies on HPAI movements were based on virology data alone, with no information on host ecology. Beginning in 2007, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center and Western Ecological Research Center developed a Wild Bird Avian Influenza Program to improve the scientific understanding of the role wild bird’s play in the circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Our research began with marking waterfowl species from Qinghai Lake, China, with satellite telemetry units to understand movement patterns and exposure to poultry and virus risk factors. In an expanded partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and multiple local partners, we have marked more than 650 waterfowl of 24 species within HPAI zones of persistence. The work spans 11 countries and the 4 main flyways of Eurasia (East African – West Asian, Black Sea - Mediterranean, Central Asian, and East Asian flyway). Using remote sensing, spatial, and statistical approaches we have modeled H5N1 transmission risk between wild and domestic bird populations, incorporating uncertainty within the modeling process. Our studies provide new information that counters some hypothesized movements proposed in prior studies and stress the need for a combined approach of virology and ecology of wild host species.
This study has, and will continue to, provide valuable insight into risk factors for the spread of HPAI, and the role wild bird’s play in transmitting such viruses across the landscape. By continuing to increase and analyze this data set we hope to provide researchers with a better understanding of this emerging issue. - Publications
Prosser, D. J. 2012. Wild birds and emerging diseases: modeling avian influenza transmission risk between domestic and wild birds in China. Ph. D. dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. xi, 229 pp.
Filter Total Items: 34Wild bird migration across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: A transmission route for highly pathogenic H5N1
Background Qinghai Lake in central China has been at the center of debate on whether wild birds play a role in circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1. In 2005, an unprecedented epizootic at Qinghai Lake killed more than 6000 migratory birds including over 3000 bar-headed geese (Anser indicus). H5N1 subsequently spread to Europe and Africa, and in following years has re-emergedAuthorsDiann J. Prosser, Peng Cui, John Y. Takekawa, Mingjie Tang, Yuansheng Hou, Bridget M. Collins, Baoping Yan, Nichola J. Hill, Tianxian Li, Yongdong Li, Fumin Lei, Shan Guo, Zhi Xing, Yubang He, Yuanchun Zhou, David C. Douglas, William M. Perry, Scott H. NewmanFlying over an infected landscape: Distribution of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 risk in South Asia and satellite tracking of wild waterfowl
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus persists in Asia, posing a threat to poultry, wild birds, and humans. Previous work in Southeast Asia demonstrated that HPAI H5N1 risk is related to domestic ducks and people. Other studies discussed the role of migratory birds in the long distance spread of HPAI H5N1. However, the interplay between local persistence and long-distance dispersal hAuthorsMarius Gilbert, Scott H. Newman, John Y. Takekawa, Leo Loth, Chandrashekhar Biradar, Diann J. Prosser, Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran, Mandava Venkata Subba Rao, Taej Mundkur, Baoping Yan, Zhi Xing, Yuansheng Hou, Nyambayar Batbayar, Natsagdorj Tseveenmayadag, Lenny Hogerwerf, Jan Slingenbergh, Xiangming XiaoVictims and vectors: highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 and the ecology of wild birds
The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses has raised concerns about the role of wild birds in the spread and persistence of the disease. In 2005, an outbreak of the highly pathogenic subtype H5N1 killed more than 6,000 wild waterbirds at Qinghai Lake, China. Outbreaks have continued to periodically occur in wild birds at Qinghai Lake and elsewhere in Central China and MongoAuthorsJohn Y. Takekawa, Diann J. Prosser, Scott H. Newman, Sabir Bin Muzaffar, Nichola J. Hill, Baoping Yan, Xiangming Xiao, Fumin Lei, Tianxian Li, Steven E. Schwarzbach, Judd A. HowellMigration of waterfowl in the east asian flyway and spatial relationship to HPAI H5N1 outbreaks
Poyang Lake is situated within the East Asian Flyway, a migratory corridor for waterfowl that also encompasses Guangdong Province, China, the epicenter of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1. The lake is the largest freshwater body in China and a significant congregation site for waterfowl; however, surrounding rice fields and poultry grazing have created an overlap with wild waterbirds,AuthorsJohn Y. Takekawa, S. H. Newman, X. Xiao, D.J. Prosser, K.A. Spragens, E.C. Palm, B. Yan, T. Li, F. Lei, D. Zhao, David C. Douglas, S.B. Muzaffar, W. JiRice production systems and avian influenza: Interactions between mixed-farming systems, poultry and wild birds
Wild waterfowl are the reservoir for avian influenza viruses (AIVs), a family of RNA viruses that may cause mild sickness in waterbirds. Emergence of H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain, causing severe disease and mortality in wild birds, poultry and humans, had raised concerns about the role of wild birds in possible transmission of the disease. In this review, the link betweeAuthorsS.B. Muzaffar, John Y. Takekawa, D.J. Prosser, S. H. Newman, X. XiaoPersistence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus defined by agro-ecological niche
The highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus has spread across Eurasia and into Africa. Its persistence in a number of countries continues to disrupt poultry production, impairs smallholder livelihoods, and raises the risk a genotype adapted to human-to-human transmission may emerge. While previous studies identified domestic duck reservoirs as a primary risk factor associated with HPAIAuthorsLenny Hogerwerf, Rob G. Wallace, Daniela Ottaviani, Jan Slingenbergh, Diann Prosser, Luc Bergmann, Marius GilbertPotential spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wildfowl: dispersal ranges and rates determined from large-scale satellite telemetry
1. Migratory birds are major candidates for long-distance dispersal of zoonotic pathogens. In recent years, wildfowl have been suspected of contributing to the rapid geographic spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus. Experimental infection studies reveal that some wild ducks, geese and swans shed this virus asymptomatically and hence have the potential to spread it as thAuthorsNicolas Gaidet, Julien Cappelle, John Y. Takekawa, Diann J. Prosser, Samuel A. Iverson, David C. Douglas, William M. Perry, Taej Mundkur, Scott H. NewmanUnderstanding the potential dispersal of HPAI H5N1 virus by migratory wildfowl
We analysed wildfowl movements between 2006-2009, including 228 birds from 19 species, part of a larger international programme (see Figure 1) coordinated by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations aimed at understanding if there are temporal or spatial relationships between HPAI H5N1 outbreaks and movements of migratory wildfowl, the first large scale data set availableAuthorsNicolas Gaidet, Julien Cappelle, John Y. Takekawa, Diann J. Prosser, Samuel A. Iverson, David C. Douglas, William M. Perry, Taej Mundkur, Scott H. NewmanMigration of whooper swans and outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus in Eastern Asia
Evaluating the potential involvement of wild avifauna in the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (hereafter H5N1) requires detailed analyses of temporal and spatial relationships between wild bird movements and disease emergence. The death of wild swans (Cygnus spp.) has been the first indicator of the presence of H5N1 in various Asian and European countries; however their role inAuthorsScott H. Newman, Samuel A. Iverson, John Y. Takekawa, Martin Gilbert, Diann J. Prosser, Nyambyar Batbayar, Tseveenmyadag Natsagdorj, David C. DouglasSatellite-marked waterfowl reveal migratory connection between H5N1 outbreak areas in China and Mongolia
The role of wild birds in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been greatly debated and remains an unresolved question. However, analyses to determine involvement of wild birds have been hindered by the lack of basic information on their movements in central Asia. Thus, we initiated a programme to document migrations of waterfowl in Asian flyways to inform hypotheses of H5N1 trAuthorsD.J. Prosser, John Y. Takekawa, S. H. Newman, B. Yan, David C. Douglas, Y. Hou, Z. Xing, Dongxiao Zhang, T. Li, Y. Li, D. Zhao, W.M. Perry, E.C. Palm - Web Tools
- Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.