Abstract
The role wild bird species play in the transmission and ecology of avian influenza virus (AIV) is well established; however, there are significant gaps in our understanding of the worldwide distribution of these viruses, specifically about the prevalence and/or significance of AIV in Central and South America. As part of an assessment of the ecology of AIV in Guatemala, we conducted active surveillance in wild birds on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Cloacal and tracheal swab samples taken from resident and migratory wild birds were collected from February 2007 to January 2010.1913 samples were collected and virus was detected by real time RT-PCR (rRT-PCR) in 28 swab samples from ducks (Anas discors). Virus isolation was attempted for these positive samples, and 15 isolates were obtained from the migratory duck species Blue-winged teal. The subtypes identified included H7N9, H11N2, H3N8, H5N3, H8N4, and H5N4. Phylogenetic analysis of the viral sequences revealed that AIV isolates are highly similar to viruses from the North American lineage suggesting that bird migration dictates the ecology of these viruses in the Guatemalan bird population.
Highlights
The role of wild birds in the transmission of avian influenza virus (AIV) has become highly significant with the introduction and spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses (HPAIV) of the H5N1 subtype into different countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa [1,2,3,4]
The virus has been reported at low prevalence in small terrestrial birds (e.g. Passerines) ranging from 0.9% to 6.6% [8,9,10] and it has been proposed that such species can act as bridges between the wild aquatic and domestic birds because they co-exist with both ecosystems [11,12,13,14,15,16]
In Central America, the presence of AIV was confirmed with the isolation of the low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) of the H5N2 subtype from poultry in 2000 in Guatemala and 2001 in El Salvador
Summary
The role of wild birds in the transmission of AIVs has become highly significant with the introduction and spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses (HPAIV) of the H5N1 subtype into different countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa [1,2,3,4]. It is generally accepted that aquatic wild birds are the primary reservoirs of AIVs as evidenced by the fact that most of the different possible combinations of HA and NA subtypes (e.g. H4N2) have been found in these animals [4,5]. AIVs have been isolated from over 100 species of wild birds belonging to 12 different orders, mainly Anseriformes and Charadriiformes [6,7]. In Central America, the presence of AIV was confirmed with the isolation of the low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) of the H5N2 subtype from poultry in 2000 in Guatemala and 2001 in El Salvador. The circulation of other AIV subtypes of poultry in Guatemala, and elsewhere in Central America, has not been reported, it must be noted that there has been limited surveillance
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