Surveillance for avian influenza virus in captive wild birds and indigenous chickens in Nigeria

Tropical Animal Health and Production - Several reports of avian influenza virus (AIV) have been made on commercial chickens and wild birds in sub-Saharan Africa, but there is paucity of...     

野生鸟类禽流感病毒感染情况的调查

为了解野生鸟类禽流感病毒(AIV)的携带感染情况,2006年～2010年,本研究在湖南省主要候鸟迁徙地收集115只野鸟组织或拭子样品、75份野鸟的新鲜粪便样品和72份血清样品。组织或拭子样品采用RT-PCR方法检测和鸡胚接种病毒分离鉴定,血清样品分别进行H5(含Re-5和Re-4)、H6、H7、H9、H10和H11抗体检测。结果表明,从斑鸠和绿头鸭组织中分别分离到H5N1亚型和H3N2亚型AIV;72份血清中有17份抗体为阳性,其中H5(Re-5)亚型5份、H5(Re-4)亚型1份、H6亚型1份、H7亚型2份和H9亚型8份,阳性率分别为6.94%、1.39%、1.39%、2.78%和11.11%。H10和H11亚型未检测到抗体阳性。     

Surveillance for highly pathogenic avian influenza in wild birds in the USA

As part of the USA's National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, an Interagency Strategic Plan for the Early Detection of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Avian Influenza in Wild Migratory Birds was developed and implemented. From 1 April 2006 through 31 March 2009, 261 946 samples from wild birds and 101 457 wild bird fecal samples were collected in the USA; no highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected. The United States Department of Agriculture, and state and tribal cooperators accounted for 213 115 (81%) of the wild bird samples collected; 31, 27, 21 and 21% of the samples were collected from the Atlantic, Pacific, Central and Mississippi flyways, respectively. More than 250 species of wild birds in all 50 states were sampled. The majority of wild birds (86%) were dabbling ducks, geese, swans and shorebirds. The apparent prevalence of low pathogenic avian influenza viruses during biological years 2007 and 2008 was 9.7 and 11.0%, respectively. The apparent prevalence of H5 and H7 subtypes across all species sampled were 0.5 and 0.06%, respectively. The pooled fecal samples (n= 101 539) positive for low pathogenic avian influenza were 4.0, 6.7 and 4.7% for biological years 2006, 2007 and 2008, respectively. The highly pathogenic early detection system for wild birds developed and implemented in the USA represents the largest coordinated wildlife disease surveillance system ever conducted. This effort provided evidence that wild birds in the USA were free of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (given the expected minimum prevalence of 0.001%) at the 99.9% confidence level during the surveillance period.     

Four cases of neoplasia in captive wild birds

Four cases of malignant neoplasia in captive wild birds are described: an adenocarcinoma of the adrenal gland in a Mountain duck (Tadorna tadornoides), a malignant melanoma in the thoracic cavity of a Combed duck (Sarkidiornis melanotos), a hepatocellular carcinoma with pulmonary metastasis in an Asian Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), and an undifferentiated carcinoma in the abdomen with metastasis to skeletal muscle in a White-Breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus). The tumors were diagnosed during a 1-year period and represented an incidence of neoplasia of 3.1%. These appear to be the first documented cases of a malignant adrenal gland tumor and a non-ocular melanoma in the order Anseriformes. The hepatocellular carcinoma failed to react with an immunoperoxidase stain for alphafetoprotein.     

A review of avian influenza in different bird species

Only type A influenza viruses are known to cause natural infections in birds, but viruses of all 15 haemagglutinin and all nine neuraminidase influenza A subtypes in the majority of possible combinations have been isolated from avian species. Influenza A viruses infecting poultry can be divided into two distinct groups on the basis of their ability to cause disease. The very virulent viruses cause highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), in which mortality may be as high as 100%. These viruses have been restricted to subtypes H5 and H7, although not all viruses of these subtypes cause HPAI. All other viruses cause a much milder, primarily respiratory disease, which may be exacerbated by other infections or environmental conditions. Since 1959, primary outbreaks of HPAI in poultry have been reported 17 times (eight since 1990), five in turkeys and 12 in chickens. HPAI viruses are rarely isolated from wild birds, but extremely high isolation rates of viruses of low virulence for poultry have been recorded in surveillance studies, giving overall figures of about 15% for ducks and geese and around 2% for all other species. Influenza viruses have been shown to affect all types of domestic or captive birds in all areas of the world, but the frequency with which primary infections occur in any type of bird depends on the degree of contact there is with feral birds. Secondary spread is usually associated with human involvement, probably by transferring infective faeces from infected to susceptible birds.     

"Constanze": a trinational project on avian influenza in wild birds at Lake Constance

When highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) arrived at Lake Constance in February 2006, little was known about its ecology and epidemiology in wild birds. In order to prevent virus transmission from wild birds to poultry, the adjacent countries initiated the tri-national, interdisciplinary research program ?Constanze? to investigate avian influenza infections in water birds at Lake Constance. In collaboration with government agencies scientists examined the prevalence of AI virus in the region of Lake Constance for a period of 33 months, compared the effectiveness of different surveillance methods and analysed the migration behaviour of water birds. Although virus introduction from regions as far as the Ural Mountains seemed possible based on the migration behaviour of certain species, no influenza A viruses of the highly pathogenic subtype H5N1 (HPAIV) was found. However, influenza A viruses of different low pathogenic subtypes were isolated in 2.2 % of the sampled birds (swabs). Of the different surveillance methods utilised in the program the sampling of so called sentinel birds was particularly efficient.     

Humoral immune response in breeding sows after vaccination with a herd-specific Chlamydophila abortus vaccine

A chlamydial vaccine efficacy trial with assessment of the clinical acceptability and serum antibody responses was performed in breeding sows. A BGM cell culture derived vaccine containing 10(8)/ml formalin-inactivated purified elementary bodies (Eb.) in sterile 0.15 M saline was prepared from Chlamydophila (Ch.) abortus strain OCHL03/99 which has been isolated in the herd from a sample of vaginal discharge. Vaccination was performed as a randomised trial with parallel treatment of a vaccinated group (25 sows) and non-vaccinated control group (20 sows). Sows received two 2.0-ml doses of vaccine intramuscularly at a three week interval. Control sows were dosed with sterile 0.15 M saline, accordingly. Serological response to vaccination was measured by ELISA with a total of 204 blood serum samples (114 from the vaccine group; 90 from the control group) using crude chlamydial LPS as the antigen. Compared to the control group, vaccinated sows showed a marked primary and secondary IgG serum antibody response following the two vaccinations. Antibody levels peaked between week 7 and 14 after priming vaccination, declined incrementally until week 27 but remained significantly higher than the corresponding sham-immune control levels and the prevaccination values of the vaccine group (p < 0.05). Western blot analysis of solubilized whole Eb. of Ch. abortus, Ch. pecorum, and Chlamydia (C.) suis with pre- and postvaccination sera confirmed that vaccination induced an antibody response preferentially against a range of 13 chlamydial antigens including the 40 kDa MOMP of Ch. abortus. Clinical side effects consisting of a transient mild local inflammatory reaction at the site of injection were observed in approx. 30% of vaccinated sows. These results provide the basis for further clinical evaluation of the Ch. abortus vaccine to protect sows from chlamydia-induced reproductive disorders.     

Outbreak of type C botulism in captive wild birds

In late summer 2010, an outbreak of type C botulism affected the birds kept in a dam at a southern Brazilian zoo. A total of 14(10 black-necked swans, Cygnus melancoryphus; 3 Muscovy ducks, Cairina moschata; and 1 fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor) out of 100 birds died after showing flaccid paralysis of the skeletal muscles characterized by general locomotion deficit, flight and swimming disorders, dropped neck, and severe dyspnea. Carcasses of dead birds (some infested by larvae of sarcophagus fly) scattered in the bird enclosure, and oxygen-free, organically rich mud and/or shallow standing waters present at the edges of the weir were identified as possible toxin sources. Postmortem examinations revealed no significant pathological changes. Epidemiologic and clinical findings indicated the diagnosis of type C botulism toxin, which was confirmed by mouse bioassay and seroneutralization.     

Humoral immune response of the bovine fetus to in utero vaccination with attenuated bovine coronavirus

A fetal response to in utero vaccination with attenuated bovine coronavirus (9 to 49 days before parturition) was determined in 8 calves, 5 vaccinated and 3 controls. Calves were derived by hysterotomy before parturition and were maintained in a closed gnotobiotic environment. The IgA, IgM, and IgG values and coronavirus-neutralizing antibody titers were higher in the sera and intestinal loop fluid from vaccinated calves than in those from control calves. Sections of ileum and ileal lymph nodes from 1-day-old vaccinated calves, when stained with monospecific anti-bovine IgG, IgM, and IgA had numerous positively stained plasma cells. Positive fluorescence was not detected in comparable tissues from controls. When the 8 calves were given virulent coronavirus orally at 6 days of age, vaccinated calves did not become ill, whereas control calves had diarrhea in 19 to 22 hours. All calves were killed at 10 days of age. Control calves had lesions characteristic of coronavirus infection, and intestinal epithelial cells were positive by fluorescent antibody tests. In vaccinated calves, lesions of coronavirus infection were absent, and results of fluorescent antibody tests were negative. Although in utero vaccination with a coronavirus vaccine stimulated immunity in the newborn calf, the frequency of abortions (2 of 14 cows inoculated intra-amniotically) and premature births (4 of 14) precluded practical application.     

Australian surveillance for avian influenza viruses in wild birds between July 2005 and June 2007

Objective   To identify and gain an understanding of the influenza viruses circulating in wild birds in Australia.
Design   A total of 16,303 swabs and 3782 blood samples were collected and analysed for avian influenza (AI) viruses from 16,420 wild birds in Australia between July 2005 and June 2007. Anseriformes and Charadriiformes were primarily targeted.
Procedures   Cloacal, oropharyngeal and faecal (environmental) swabs were tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the AI type A matrix gene. Positive samples underwent virus culture and subtyping. Serum samples were analysed using a blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for influenza A virus nucleoprotein.
Results   No highly pathogenic AI viruses were identified. However, 164 PCR tests were positive for the AI type A matrix gene, 46 of which were identified to subtype. A total of five viruses were isolated, three of which had a corresponding positive PCR and subtype identification (H3N8, H4N6, H7N6). Low pathogenic AI H5 and/or H7 was present in wild birds in New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia. Antibodies to influenza A were also detected in 15.0% of the birds sampled.
Conclusions   Although low pathogenic AI virus subtypes are currently circulating in Australia, their prevalence is low (1.0% positive PCR). Surveillance activities for AI in wild birds should be continued to provide further epidemiological information about circulating viruses and to identify any changes in subtype prevalence.