Co-inections of domestic and wild birds with avian influenza and Newcastle disease viruses: implications for control and genetic mutations

Worldwide, wild birds are frequently suspected to be involved in the occurrence of outbreaks in captive-bred birds although proofs are lacking and most of the dedicated studies are insufficiently conclusive to confirm or characterize the roles of wild birds in such outbreaks. The aim of this study was to assess and compare, for the most prevalent peridomestic wild birds, the different exposure routes for Avian Influenza and Newcastle disease viruses in conservation breeding sites of Houbara bustards in the United Arab Emirates. To do so, we considered all of the potential pathways by which captive bustards could be exposed to Avian Influenza and Newcastle disease viruses by wild birds, and ran a comparative study of the likelihood of exposure via each of the pathways considered. We merged data from an ecological study dedicated to local wild bird communities with an analysis of the contacts between wild birds and captive bustards and with a prevalence survey of AIV and NDV in wild bird populations. We also extracted data from an extensive review of the scientific literature and by the elicitation of expert opinion. Overall, this analysis highlighted that captive bustards had a high risk of being exposed to pathogens by wild birds. This risk was higher for Newcastle disease virus than Avian influenza virus, and House sparrows represented the riskiest species for the transmission of both viruses through indirect exposure from consumption of water contaminated from the faeces of an infectious bird that got inside the aviary. Thus, this analysis reveals that wild peridomestic birds may play a role in the transmission of avian pathogens to captive bred birds. These results also reaffirm the need to implement sanitary measures to limit contacts between wild and captive birds and highlight priority targets for a thoughtful and efficient sanitary management strategy.

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Prevalence of infectious bronchitis and Newcastle disease virus among domestic and wild birds in H5N1 outbreaks areas

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.1441 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 5 (08) ◽

pp. 565-570 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Zekiba Tarnagda ◽

Issaka Yougbare ◽

Adele Kam ◽

Marc Christian Tahita ◽

Jean Bosco Ouedraogo

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Newcastle Disease Virus ◽

Burkina Faso ◽

Disease Virus ◽

Newcastle Disease ◽

Influenza A ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Western Region ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Infectious Bronchitis

Introduction: The first H5N1 outbreak in Burkina Faso was reported to the World Organization for Animal Health on 3 April 2006. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of avian influenza virus, infectious bronchitis virus, and Newcastle disease virus among domestic and wild birds in highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreaks areas. Methodology: We collected paired tracheal and cloacal swabs from 283 birds including 278 domestic and five wild birds (three vultures, one sparrowhawk and one Western Grey Plantain-eater) in the Central Region (Ouagadougou) and the Western Region (Bobo-Dioulasso and Sokoroni) of Burkina Faso. Total RNA extracted from samples were subjected to reverse transcription and resulting cDNA amplified by PCR using specific primers for detection of Avian Influenza Virus (AIV mainly highly pathogenic H5N1), Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV), and Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) for the first time in Burkina Faso. Results and conclusions: Our results show that 13.8% (39/283) samples were reactive for NDV, and the prevalence of IBV was 3.9% (11/283). None of the 283 birds were co-infected by AIV, IBV and/or NDV in our study areas. The prevalence of influenza A virus was 3.2% (95% CI: 0-6.6) with a 1.7% (95% CI: 0-3.2) prevalence of H5N1 being detected. Positive cases of H5N1 virus were found in two out of three vultures in Ouagadougou, and in three out of 203 local chickens in the Western Region. These results confirm the presence of influenza A H5N1 virus, IBV and NDV in domestic and wild birds in Burkina Faso.

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