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
Impacts of migratory Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) on microbial water quality in the central Platte River, Nebraska, USA
Evidence that life history characteristics of wild birds influence infection rates and exposure to influenza A viruses
Worldwide phylogenetic relationship of avian poxviruses
Comparison of filters for concentrating microbial indicators and pathogens in lake-water samples
Migratory flyway and geographical distance are barriers to the gene flow of influenza virus among North American birds
Emergence of fatal avian influenza in New England harbor seals
The effect of swab sample choice on the detection of avian influenza in apparently healthy wild ducks
Presence of avian influenza viruses in waterfowl and wetlands during summer 2010 in California: Are resident birds a potential reservoir?
Expansion of an exotic species and concomitant disease outbreaks: Pigeon paramyxovirus in free-ranging Eurasian collared doves
Evidence for limited exchange of avian influenza viruses between seaducks and dabbling ducks at Alaska Peninsula coastal lagoons
Interspecific exchange of avian influenza virus genes in Alaska: The influence of trans-hemispheric migratory tendency and breeding ground sympatry
Experimental challenge and pathology of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 in dunlin (Calidris alpina), an intercontinental migrant shorebird species
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 99
Impacts of migratory Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) on microbial water quality in the central Platte River, Nebraska, USA
Wild birds have been shown to be significant sources of numerous types of pathogens that are relevant to humans and agriculture. The presence of large numbers of migratory birds in such a sensitive and important ecosystem as the Platte River in central Nebraska, USA, could potentially serve a significant source of bird-derived pathogens in the water/sediment and riverine environment. In 2009 and 2AuthorsJason R. Vogel, Dale W. Griffin, Hon S. Ip, Nicholas J. Ashbolt, Matthew T. Moser, Jingrang Lu, Mary K. Beitz, Hodon Ryu, Jorge W. Santo DomingoEvidence that life history characteristics of wild birds influence infection rates and exposure to influenza A viruses
We report on life history characteristics, temporal, and age-related effects influencing the frequency of occurrence of avian influenza (AI) viruses in four species of migratory geese breeding on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska. Emperor geese (Chen canagica), cackling geese (Branta hutchinsii), greater white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons), and black brant (Branta bernicla), were all tested forAuthorsCraig R. Ely, Jeffrey S. Hall, Joel A. Schmutz, John M. Pearce, John Terenzi, James S. Sedinger, Hon S. IpWorldwide phylogenetic relationship of avian poxviruses
Poxvirus infections have been found in 230 species of wild and domestic birds worldwide in both terrestrial and marine environments. This ubiquity raises the question of how infection has been transmitted and globally dispersed. We present a comprehensive global phylogeny of 111 novel poxvirus isolates in addition to all available sequences from GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis of the Avipoxvirus geAuthorsMiklós Gyuranecz, Jeffrey T. Foster, Ádám Dán, Hon S. Ip, Kristina F. Egstad, Patricia G. Parker, Jenni M. Higashiguchi, Michael A. Skinner, Ursula Höfle, Zsuzsa Kreizinger, Gerry M. Dorrestein, Szabolcs Solt, Endre Sós, Young Jun Kim, Marcela Uhart, Ariel Pereda, Gisela González-Hein, Hector Hidalgo, Juan-Manuel Blanco, Károly ErdélyiComparison of filters for concentrating microbial indicators and pathogens in lake-water samples
Bacterial indicators are used to indicate increased health risk from pathogens and to make beach closure and advisory decisions; however, beaches are seldom monitored for the pathogens themselves. Studies of sources and types of pathogens at beaches are needed to improve estimates of swimming-associated health risks. It would be advantageous and cost-effective, especially for studies conducted onAuthorsDonna S. Francy, Erin A. Stelzer, Amie M. G. Brady, Carrie Huitger, Rebecca N. Bushon, Hon S. Ip, Michael W. Ware, Eric N. Villegas, Vincent Gallardo, H.D. Alan LindquistMigratory flyway and geographical distance are barriers to the gene flow of influenza virus among North American birds
Despite the importance of migratory birds in the ecology and evolution of avian influenza virus (AIV), there is a lack of information on the patterns of AIV spread at the intra‐continental scale. We applied a variety of statistical phylogeographic techniques to a plethora of viral genome sequence data to determine the strength, pattern and determinants of gene flow in AIV sampled from wild birds iAuthorsTommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Hon S. Ip, E. Ghedin, David E. Wentworth, Rebecca A. Halpin, T. B. Stockwell, Robert J. Dusek, James B. Bortner, Jenny Hoskins, Bradley D. Bales, Daniel R. Yparraguirre, E. C. HolmesEmergence of fatal avian influenza in New England harbor seals
From September to December 2011, 162 New England harbor seals died in an outbreak of pneumonia. Sequence analysis of postmortem samples revealed the presence of an avian H3N8 influenza A virus, similar to a virus circulating in North American waterfowl since at least 2002 but with mutations that indicate recent adaption to mammalian hosts. These include a D701N mutation in the viral PB2 protein, pAuthorsS.J. Anthony, J. A. St. Leger, K. Pugliares, Hon S. Ip, J.M. Chan, Z.W. Carpenter, I. Navarrete-Macias, M. Sanchez-Leon, J.T. Saliki, J. Pedersen, W. Karesh, P. Daszak, R. Rabadan, T. Rowles, W.I. LipkinThe effect of swab sample choice on the detection of avian influenza in apparently healthy wild ducks
Historically, avian influenza viruses have been isolated from cloacal swab specimens, but recent data suggest that the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus can be better detected from respiratory tract specimens. To better understand how swab sample type affects the detection ability of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) viruses we collected and tested four swab types: oropharyngAuthorsHon S. Ip, Robert J. Dusek, Dennis M. HeiseyPresence of avian influenza viruses in waterfowl and wetlands during summer 2010 in California: Are resident birds a potential reservoir?
Although wild waterfowl are the main reservoir for low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIv), the environment plays a critical role for the circulation and persistence of AIv. LPAIv may persist for extended periods in cold environments, suggesting that waterfowl breeding areas in the northern hemisphere may be an important reservoir for AIv in contrast to the warmer southern wintering areas.AuthorsV. Henaux, M. D. Samuel, Robert J. Dusek, J. P. Fleskes, Hon S. IpExpansion of an exotic species and concomitant disease outbreaks: Pigeon paramyxovirus in free-ranging Eurasian collared doves
Eurasian collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto) have expanded their range across the United States since their introduction several decades ago. Recent mortality events in Eurasian collared doves in Arizona and Montana, USA, during the winter of 2009–2010 were the result of pigeon paramyxovirus (PPMV), a novel disease agent. The first instance of mortality by this emerging infectious disease in thAuthorsKrysten L. Schuler, David E. Green, Anne E. Justice-Allen, Rosemary Jaffe, Mark Cunningham, Nancy J. Thomas, Marilyn G. Spalding, Hon S. IpEvidence for limited exchange of avian influenza viruses between seaducks and dabbling ducks at Alaska Peninsula coastal lagoons
Avian influenza virus (AIV) prevalence and sequence data were analyzed for Steller's eiders (Polysticta stelleri) to assess the role of this species in transporting virus genes between continents and maintaining a regional viral reservoir with sympatric northern pintails (Anas acuta). AIV prevalence was 0.2% at Izembek Lagoon and 3.9% at Nelson Lagoon for Steller's eiders and 11.2% for northern piAuthorsAndrew M. Ramey, John M. Pearce, Andrew B. Reeves, J. Christian Franson, Margaret R. Petersen, Hon S. IpInterspecific exchange of avian influenza virus genes in Alaska: The influence of trans-hemispheric migratory tendency and breeding ground sympatry
The movement and transmission of avian influenza viral strains via wild migratory birds may vary by host species as a result of migratory tendency and sympatry with other infected individuals. To examine the roles of host migratory tendency and species sympatry on the movement of Eurasian low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) genes into North America, we characterized migratory patterns and LPAI vAuthorsJohn M. Pearce, Andrew B. Reeves, Andrew M. Ramey, Jerry W. Hupp, Hon S. Ip, M. Bertram, M.J. Petrula, B.D. Scotton, K.A. Trust, Brandt W. Meixell, J.A. RunstadlerExperimental challenge and pathology of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 in dunlin (Calidris alpina), an intercontinental migrant shorebird species
Background Shorebirds (Charadriiformes) are considered one of the primary reservoirs of avian influenza. Because these species are highly migratory, there is concern that infected shorebirds may be a mechanism by which highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 could be introduced into North America from Asia. Large numbers of dunlin (Calidris alpina) migrate from wintering areas in centAuthorsJeffrey S. Hall, J. Christian Franson, Robert E. Gill, Carol U. Meteyer, Joshua L. TeSlaa, Sean W. Nashold, Robert J. Dusek, 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