Recovery of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus from the faeces of wild piscivorous birds

Faecal samples were collected from wild birds frequenting salmonid fish hatcheries to determine if birds excrete infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) virus in their faeces. Samples were collected from early June through early September. IPN virus was detected in faeces from herons, mallards, and other birds at titres similar to the titres found in the hatchery fish. Bird predation and virus prevalence in bird faeces was much reduced at a hatchery using electric fence barriers to deter birds and at a hatchery where the entire raceway area was enclosed by netting.