Abstract
BackgroundSouth Korea conducts annual national surveillance programs to detect avian influenza (AI) in domestic poultry, live bird markets, and wild birds. In March 2017, an AIV was isolated from fecal samples in an outdoor aviary flight cage in a zoo in Korea.ResultsNucleotide sequencing identified the isolate as low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) H7N7, and DNA barcoding analysis identified the host species as red-crowned crane. This isolate was designated A/red-crowned crane/Korea/H1026/2017 (H7N7). Genetic analysis and gene constellation analysis revealed that A/red-crowned crane/Korea/H1026/2017 (H7N7) showed high similarity with four H7N7 LPAIVs isolated from wild bird habitats in Seoul and Gyeonggi in early 2017.ConclusionsConsidering the genetic similarity and similar collection dates of the viruses, and the fact that zoo bird cages are vulnerable to AIV, it is likely that fecal contamination from wild birds might have introduced LPAIV H7N7 into the red-crowned crane at the zoo. Therefore, our results emphasize that enhanced biosecurity measures should be employed during the wild bird migration season, and that continued surveillance should be undertaken to prevent potential threats to avian species in zoos and to humans.
Highlights
South Korea conducts annual national surveillance programs to detect avian influenza (AI) in domestic poultry, live bird markets, and wild birds
Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the H7 gene of the H1026 virus belongs to a Eurasian wild bird lineage and distinguished from the H7N7 Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) that caused human infections in Europe and Chinese H7N9like viruses (Fig. 1a)
The HA gene of the H1026 virus is closely related to low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H7N7 viruses isolated from wild bird habitats in South Korea in the winter March 2017 season (~ 99.71–99.94% homology) (Table 2)
Summary
South Korea conducts annual national surveillance programs to detect avian influenza (AI) in domestic poultry, live bird markets, and wild birds. Influenza A virus belongs to the Orthomyxoviridae family of RNA viruses, which comprise 18 hemagglutinin (HA) and 11 neuraminidase (NA) subtypes [1]. Wild waterfowl are natural reservoirs of AIVs, which are occasionally transmitted to domestic poultry [3]. Outbreaks of AIVs. According to the world organization for animal health [5], AIVs can be classified as highly pathogenic and low pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV and LPAIV, respectively). Some LPAIVs, mostly notably the H5 and H7 subtypes, have the potential to mutate into HPAIVs. Considering that AIVs can be transmitted from wild birds to poultry, surveillance of AIVs is required to
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
