Hon Ip
Hon Ip is a Diagnostic and Research Virologist at the National Wildlife Health Center.
As a Diagnostic and Research Virologist, I am interested in the emergence and spread of novel, introduced, and endemic viral diseases of wildlife. For example, through the National Wildlife Health Center’s long-standing program to investigate wildlife mortality events in the United States, our Diagnostic Virology Laboratory was first to detect introductions of West Nile Virus (in 1999) and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N8 (in 2014). Both of these introductions resulted in large-scale monitoring efforts that provided real-time and actionable intelligence to state and federal partners for disease response. We have also investigated periodic recurrence of Newcastle Disease in cormorants, geographic expansion of Eurasian collared doves and associated spread of pigeon paramyxovirus, and applied phylogenetic approaches to understand the diversity and transmission of viral diseases on the landscape. Since 2008 we have been studying viruses in North American bats, including coronaviruses. Following the recent emergence of COVID-19, this work provides a highly relevant framework for investigating possible impacts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on native, North American bat species, and for more broadly characterizing the diversity of coronaviruses in North American wildlife.
Professional Experience
Diagnostic and Research Virologist at the National Wildlife Health Center
Education and Certifications
Ph. D. Molecular Parasitology. The Rockefeller University, New York, NY.
M. Sc. Microbiology and Parasitology. University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
B. Sc. Microbiology and Parasitology. University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Affiliations and Memberships*
Honorary Associate Fellow. Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Adjunct Assistant Professor. Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Science and Products
Spatial and temporal patterns of avian paramyxovirus-1 outbreaks in Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the USA
Surveillance for zoonotic and selected pathogens in harbor seals Phoca vitulina from central California
Avian influenza virus ecology in Iceland shorebirds: intercontinental reassortment and movement
Respiratory transmission of an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from a harbour seal
Identification and characterization of Highlands J virus from a Mississippi sandhill crane using unbiased next-generation sequencing
West Nile Virus transmission in winter: the 2013 Great Salt Lake Bald Eagle and Eared Grebes Mortality event
Serologic evidence of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in northern sea otters
North Atlantic migratory bird flyways provide routes for intercontinental movement of avian influenza viruses
Genetic diversity and mutation of avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (Newcastle disease virus) in wild birds and evidence for intercontinental spread
Pathogen exposure and blood chemistry in the Washington population of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni)
Genomic analysis of avian influenza viruses from waterfowl in Western Alaska, USA
Evolution of a reassortant North American gull influenza virus lineage: drift, shift and stability
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 99
Spatial and temporal patterns of avian paramyxovirus-1 outbreaks in Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the USA
Morbidity and mortality events caused by avian paramyxovirus-1 (APMV-1) in Double-crested Cormorant (DCCO; Phalacrocorax auritus) nesting colonies in the US and Canada have been sporadically documented in the literature. We describe APMV-1 associated outbreaks in DCCO in the US from the first reported occurrence in 1992 through 2012. The frequency of APMV-1 outbreaks has increased in the US over tAuthorsC. LeAnn White, Hon S. Ip, Carol U. Meteyer, Daniel P. Walsh, Jeffrey S. Hall, Michelle Carstensen, Paul C. WolfSurveillance for zoonotic and selected pathogens in harbor seals Phoca vitulina from central California
The infection status of harbor seals Phoca vitulina in central California, USA, was evaluated through broad surveillance for pathogens in stranded and wild-caught animals from 2001 to 2008, with most samples collected in 2007 and 2008. Stranded animals from Mendocino County to San Luis Obispo County were sampled at a rehabilitation facility: The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC, n = 175); wild-caught anAuthorsDenise J. Greig, Hon S. Ip, Frances M. D. Gulland, Woutrina A. Miller, Patricia A. Conrad, Cara L. Field, Michelle Fleetwood, James T. Harvey, Spencer Jang, Andrea Packham, Elizabeth Wheeler, Ailsa J. HallAvian influenza virus ecology in Iceland shorebirds: intercontinental reassortment and movement
Shorebirds are a primary reservoir of avian influenza viruses (AIV). We conducted surveillance studies in Iceland shorebird populations for 3 years, documenting high serological evidence of AIV exposure in shorebirds, primarily in Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres; seroprevalence = 75%). However, little evidence of virus infection was found in these shorebird populations and only two turnstoneAuthorsJeffrey S. Hall, Gunnar Thor Hallgrimsson, Kamol Suwannanarn, Srinand Sreevatsen, Hon S. Ip, Joshua L. TeSlaa, Sean W. Nashold, Robert J. DusekRespiratory transmission of an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from a harbour seal
The ongoing human H7N9 influenza infections highlight the threat of emerging avian influenza viruses. In 2011, an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from moribund New England harbour seals was shown to have naturally acquired mutations known to increase the transmissibility of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses. To elucidate the potential human health threat, here we evaluate a panel of aviAuthorsErik A. Karlsson, Hon S. Ip, Jeffrey S. Hall, Sun W. Yoon, Jordan Johnson, Melinda A. Beck, Richard J. Webby, Stacey Schultz-CherryIdentification and characterization of Highlands J virus from a Mississippi sandhill crane using unbiased next-generation sequencing
Advances in massively parallel DNA sequencing platforms, commonly termed next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, have greatly reduced time, labor, and cost associated with DNA sequencing. Thus, NGS has become a routine tool for new viral pathogen discovery and will likely become the standard for routine laboratory diagnostics of infectious diseases in the near future. This study demonstrateAuthorsHon S. Ip, Michael R. Wiley, Renee Long, Palacios Gustavo, Valerie Shearn-Bochsler, Chris A. WhitehouseWest Nile Virus transmission in winter: the 2013 Great Salt Lake Bald Eagle and Eared Grebes Mortality event
West Nile Virus (WNV) infection has been reported in over 300 species of birds and mammals. Raptors such as eagles, hawks and falcons are remarkably susceptible, but reports of WNV infection in Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) are rare and reports of WNV infection in grebes (Podicipediformes) even rarer. We report an unusually large wild bird mortality event involving between 15,000-20,000 EAuthorsHon S. Ip, Arnaud J. Van Wettere, Leslie McFarlan, Valerie I. Shearn-Bochsler, Sammie L. Dickson, JoDee Baker, Gary Hatch, Kimberly Cavender, Renee Romaine Long, Barbara L. BodensteinSerologic evidence of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus in northern sea otters
Sporadic epizootics of pneumonia among marine mammals have been associated with multiple animal-origin influenza A virus subtypes (1–6); seals are the only known nonhuman host for influenza B viruses (7). Recently, we reported serologic evidence of influenza A virus infection in free-ranging northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) captured off the coast of Washington, USA, in August 2011 (8).AuthorsZhu-Nan Li, Hon S. Ip, Jessica F. Frost, C. LeAnn White, Michael J. Murray, Paul J. Carney, Xiang-Jie Sun, James Stevens, Min Z. Levine, Jacqueline M. KatzNorth Atlantic migratory bird flyways provide routes for intercontinental movement of avian influenza viruses
Avian influenza virus (AIV) in wild birds has been of increasing interest over the last decade due to the emergence of AIVs that cause significant disease and mortality in both poultry and humans. While research clearly demonstrates that AIVs can move across the Pacific or Atlantic Ocean, there has been no data to support the mechanism of how this occurs. In spring and autumn of 2010 and autumn ofAuthorsRobert J. Dusek, Gunnar T. Hallgrimsson, Hon S. Ip, Jón E. Jónsson, Srinand Sreevatsan, Sean W. Nashold, Joshua L. TeSlaa, Shinichiro Enomoto, Rebecca A. Halpin, Xudong Lin, Nadia Federova, Timothy B. Stockwell, Vivien G. Dugan, David E. Wentworth, Jeffrey S. HallGenetic diversity and mutation of avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (Newcastle disease virus) in wild birds and evidence for intercontinental spread
Avian paramyxovirus serotype 1 (APMV-1), or Newcastle disease virus, is the causative agent of Newcastle disease, one of the most economically important diseases for poultry production worldwide and a cause of periodic epizootics in wild birds in North America. In this study, we examined the genetic diversity of APMV-1 isolated from migratory birds sampled in Alaska, Japan, and Russia and assessedAuthorsAndrew M. Ramey, Andrew B. Reeves, Haruko Ogawa, Hon S. Ip, Kunitoshi Imai, V. N. Bui, Emi Yamaguchi, N. Y. Silko, C.L. AfonsoPathogen exposure and blood chemistry in the Washington population of northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni)
Northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) from Washington State, United States were evaluated in 2011 to determine health status and pathogen exposure. Antibodies to Brucella spp. (10%) and influenza A virus (23%) were detected for the first time in this population in 2011. Changes in clinical pathology values (serum chemistries), exposure to pathogens, and overall health of the population overAuthorsC. LeAnn White, Krysten L. Schuler, Nancy J. Thomas, Julie L. Webb, Jeremiah T. Saliki, Hon S. Ip, J. P. Dubey, Elizabeth R. FrameGenomic analysis of avian influenza viruses from waterfowl in Western Alaska, USA
The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (Y-K Delta) in western Alaska is an immense and important breeding ground for waterfowl. Migratory birds from the Pacific Americas, Central Pacific, and East Asian-Australasian flyways converge in this region, providing opportunities for intermixing of North American- and Eurasian-origin hosts and infectious agents, such as avian influenza virus (AIV). We characterized thAuthorsAndrew B. Reeves, John M. Pearce, Andrew M. Ramey, Craig R. Ely, Joel A. Schmutz, Paul L. Flint, Dirk V. Derksen, Hon S. Ip, Kimberly A. TrustEvolution of a reassortant North American gull influenza virus lineage: drift, shift and stability
Background: The role of gulls in the ecology of avian influenza (AI) is different than that of waterfowl. Different constellations of subtypes circulate within the two groups of birds and AI viruses isolated from North American gulls frequently possess reassortant genomes with genetic elements from both North America and Eurasian lineages. A 2008 isolate from a Newfoundland Great Black-backed GullAuthorsJeffrey S. Hall, Joshua L. TeSlaa, Sean W. Nashold, Rebecca A. Halpin, Timothy Stockwell, David E. Wentworth, Vivien Dugan, Hon S. Ip - News
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government