Evaluation of Seabirds in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as Hosts of Influenza A Viruses

Influenza A viruses infect a wide range of hosts, including many species of birds. Avian influenza A virus (AIV) infection appears to be most common in Anseriformes (ducks, geese, and swans) and some Charadriiformes (shorebirds and gulls), but many other birds also serve as hosts of AIV. Here, we ev...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Wildlife Diseases
Main Authors: Wille, Michelle, Huang, Yanyan, Robertson, Gregory J., Ryan, Pierre, Wilhelm, Sabina I., Fifield, David, Bond, Alexander L., Granter, Alissa, Munro, Hannah, Buxton, Rachel, Jones, Ian L., Fitzsimmons, Michelle G., Burke, Chantelle, Tranquilla, Laura Mcfarlane, Rector, Megan, Takahashi, Linda, Kouwenberg, Amy-lee, Storey, Anne, Walsh, Carolyn, Hedd, April, Montevecchi, William A., Runstadler, Jonathan A., Ojkic, Davor, Whitney, Hugh, Lang, Andrew S.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2014
Subjects:
Canada
Newfoundland
Alca torda
Atlantic puffin
Black-legged Kittiwake
fratercula
Fratercula arctica
Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Razorbill
rissa tridactyla
Uria aalge
Uria lomvia
uria
Online Access:https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/en/publications/e8e282b2-db1f-4b6f-896e-338bed6dd294
https://doi.org/10.7589/2012-10-247
http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.7589/2012-10-247
Description
Summary:Influenza A viruses infect a wide range of hosts, including many species of birds. Avian influenza A virus (AIV) infection appears to be most common in Anseriformes (ducks, geese, and swans) and some Charadriiformes (shorebirds and gulls), but many other birds also serve as hosts of AIV. Here, we evaluated the role of seabirds as hosts for AIV. We tested 3,160 swab samples from 13 seabird species between May 2008 and December 2011 in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We also tested 156 serum samples for evidence of previous infection of AIV in Common Murres (Uria aalge) and Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica). Avian influenza A virus was detected in breeding Common Murres and nonbreeding Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia), and Common Murres also had high antibody prevalence (44%). From these findings, combined with other studies showing AIV infection in murres, we conclude that murres are important for the ecology of AIV. For other species (Razorbill, Alca torda; Leach's Storm-Petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa; Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla; Atlantic Puffin) with good coverage (>100 samples) we did not detect AIV. However, serology indicates infection does occur in Atlantic Puffins, with 22% antibody prevalence found. The possibility of virus spread through dense breeding colonies and the long distance movements of these hosts make a more thorough evaluation of the role for seabirds as hosts of AIV important.

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