Evidence of avian influenza virus in seabirds breeding on a Norwegian high-Arctic archipelago

Abstract Background Wild aquatic birds serve as the natural reservoir for avian influenza virus (AIV), a disease with significant implications for avian and mammalian health. Climate change is predicted to impact the dynamics of AIV, particularly in areas such as the Arctic, but the baseline data ne...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC Veterinary Research
Main Authors: Megan Marie Lee, Veerle L. B. Jaspers, Geir Wing Gabrielsen, Bjørn Munro Jenssen, Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski, Åse-Karen Mortensen, Silje Strand Lundgren, Courtney A. Waugh
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: BMC 2020
Subjects:
Arctic
Avian influenza
Svalbard
Kittiwake
Glaucous gull
Veterinary medicine
SF600-1100
Svalbard Archipelago
Arctic Archipelago
Black-legged Kittiwake
Climate change
Glaucous Gull
rissa tridactyla
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-2265-2
https://doaj.org/article/c5321dd0940b4add9b0eaad1cb5f355f
Description
Summary:Abstract Background Wild aquatic birds serve as the natural reservoir for avian influenza virus (AIV), a disease with significant implications for avian and mammalian health. Climate change is predicted to impact the dynamics of AIV, particularly in areas such as the Arctic, but the baseline data needed to detect these shifts is often unavailable. In this study, plasma from two species of gulls breeding on the high-Arctic Svalbard archipelago were screened for antibodies to AIV. Results AIV antibodies were found in black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) samples from multiple years, as well as in glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreous) samples. Conclusions Despite small sample sizes, evidence of exposure to AIV was found among Svalbard gulls. A wider survey of Svalbard avian species is warranted to establish knowledge on the extent of AIV exposure on Svalbard and to determine whether active infections are present.

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