RESEARCH ▶▶▶
Insight into avian virus highlights its infection potential
Commercial poultry should be protected from the risk of contracting harmful bird flu from migrating flocks, according to new research. Insights from a study of the devastating bird flu outbreak in 2017 show how highly pathogenic bird flu viruses can be transmitted from wild migrating bird populations to domestic flocks and back again.
BY TONY MCDOUGAL T
hese viruses can readily exchange genetic material with other low pathogenic viruses – which are less harmful – during migration, raising the likelihood of serious outbreaks in domestic poultry and wild
birds. The study, led by a team including the Roslin Institute, representing the Global Consortium for H5N8 and Related In- fluenza Viruses, studied the genetic makeup of the 2016/7 bird flu virus in various birds at key stages during the flu sea- son. The outbreak began in domestic birds in Asia before spreading via wild migratory flocks to create the largest bird flu epidemic in Europe to date. The team interpreted genetic sequence data from virus samples collected during the out- break, together with details of where, when and in which bird species they originated. Using a computational technique, known as phylogenetic inference, researchers estimated where and when the virus exchanged genetic material with other viruses in wild or domestic birds.
Results The virus could easily exchange genetic material with other, less harmful viruses, at times and locations corresponding to
bird migratory cycles. These included viruses carried by wild birds on intersecting migratory routes and by farmed ducks in China and central Europe. Migratory birds harbouring weaker viruses are more likely to survive their journey and potentially pass disease to domestic birds, the study found. Commenting on the results, Dr Sam Lycett of the Roslin Insti- tute, said: “Bird flu viruses can readily exchange genetic mate- rial with other influenza viruses and this, in combination with repeated transmission of viruses between domestic and wild birds, means that a viral strain can emerge and persist in wild bird populations, which carries a high risk of disease for poul- try. This aids our understanding of how a pathogenic avian flu virus could become established in wild bird populations”. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was carried out in collaboration with the Frie- drich Loeffler Institute, Germany, the Erasmus University Medical Centre, the Netherlands and the University of Edin- burgh’s Usher Institute and Roslin Institute, UK. It was sup- ported with funding from EU Horizon 2020 programme and others.
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 7, 2020
Research shows that avian influ- enza introduced by migratory birds has a dev- astating effect on commercial poultry flocks.
PHOTO: MARK PASVEER
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