Evidence of the Presence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses in Wild Waterfowl in 2018 in South Africa

Avian influenza viruses are pathogens of global concern to both animal and human health. Wild birds are the natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses and facilitate virus transport over large distances. Surprisingly, limited research has been performed to determine avian influenza host species an...

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Main Authors: Marjolein J. Poen, Ron A. M. Fouchier, Richard J. Webby, Robert G. Webster, Mohamed E. El Zowalaty
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-09-01
Series:Pathogens
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/4/163
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spelling doaj-b6abbc6d81f84d119f5767f183248abf2020-11-25T02:27:40ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172019-09-018416310.3390/pathogens8040163pathogens8040163Evidence of the Presence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses in Wild Waterfowl in 2018 in South AfricaMarjolein J. Poen0Ron A. M. Fouchier1Richard J. Webby2Robert G. Webster3Mohamed E. El Zowalaty4Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015GE Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDepartment of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015GE Rotterdam, The NetherlandsDivision of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USADivision of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USADivision of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS), St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USAAvian influenza viruses are pathogens of global concern to both animal and human health. Wild birds are the natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses and facilitate virus transport over large distances. Surprisingly, limited research has been performed to determine avian influenza host species and virus dynamics in wild birds on the African continent, including South Africa. This study described the first wild bird surveillance efforts for influenza A viruses in KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa after the 2017/2018 outbreak with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N8 in poultry. A total of 550 swab samples from 278 migratory waterfowl were tested using real-time RT-PCR methods. Two samples (0.7%) were positive for avian influenza virus based on the matrix gene real-time RT-PCR but were negative for the hemagglutinin subtypes H5 and H7. Unfortunately, no sequence information or viable virus could be retrieved from the samples. This study shows that avian influenza viruses are present in the South African wild bird population, emphasizing the need for more extensive surveillance studies to determine the South African avian influenza gene pool and relevant local host species.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/4/163avian influenzaepidemiologyinfluenza a virusmigratory waterfowlreal-time rt-pcrsouth africasurveillancewild birdszoonosis
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Marjolein J. Poen
Ron A. M. Fouchier
Richard J. Webby
Robert G. Webster
Mohamed E. El Zowalaty
spellingShingle Marjolein J. Poen
Ron A. M. Fouchier
Richard J. Webby
Robert G. Webster
Mohamed E. El Zowalaty
Evidence of the Presence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses in Wild Waterfowl in 2018 in South Africa
Pathogens
avian influenza
epidemiology
influenza a virus
migratory waterfowl
real-time rt-pcr
south africa
surveillance
wild birds
zoonosis
author_facet Marjolein J. Poen
Ron A. M. Fouchier
Richard J. Webby
Robert G. Webster
Mohamed E. El Zowalaty
author_sort Marjolein J. Poen
title Evidence of the Presence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses in Wild Waterfowl in 2018 in South Africa
title_short Evidence of the Presence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses in Wild Waterfowl in 2018 in South Africa
title_full Evidence of the Presence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses in Wild Waterfowl in 2018 in South Africa
title_fullStr Evidence of the Presence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses in Wild Waterfowl in 2018 in South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Evidence of the Presence of Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses in Wild Waterfowl in 2018 in South Africa
title_sort evidence of the presence of low pathogenic avian influenza a viruses in wild waterfowl in 2018 in south africa
publisher MDPI AG
series Pathogens
issn 2076-0817
publishDate 2019-09-01
description Avian influenza viruses are pathogens of global concern to both animal and human health. Wild birds are the natural reservoir of avian influenza viruses and facilitate virus transport over large distances. Surprisingly, limited research has been performed to determine avian influenza host species and virus dynamics in wild birds on the African continent, including South Africa. This study described the first wild bird surveillance efforts for influenza A viruses in KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa after the 2017/2018 outbreak with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N8 in poultry. A total of 550 swab samples from 278 migratory waterfowl were tested using real-time RT-PCR methods. Two samples (0.7%) were positive for avian influenza virus based on the matrix gene real-time RT-PCR but were negative for the hemagglutinin subtypes H5 and H7. Unfortunately, no sequence information or viable virus could be retrieved from the samples. This study shows that avian influenza viruses are present in the South African wild bird population, emphasizing the need for more extensive surveillance studies to determine the South African avian influenza gene pool and relevant local host species.
topic avian influenza
epidemiology
influenza a virus
migratory waterfowl
real-time rt-pcr
south africa
surveillance
wild birds
zoonosis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/4/163
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