1
|
Humphreys JM, Shults PT, Velazquez-Salinas L, Bertram MR, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Pauszek SJ, Peters DPC, Rodriguez LL. Interrogating Genomes and Geography to Unravel Multiyear Vesicular Stomatitis Epizootics. Viruses 2024; 16:1118. [PMID: 39066280 PMCID: PMC11281362 DOI: 10.3390/v16071118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
We conducted an integrative analysis to elucidate the spatial epidemiological patterns of the Vesicular Stomatitis New Jersey virus (VSNJV) during the 2014-15 epizootic cycle in the United States (US). Using georeferenced VSNJV genomics data, confirmed vesicular stomatitis (VS) disease cases from surveillance, and a suite of environmental factors, our study assessed environmental and phylogenetic similarity to compare VS cases reported in 2014 and 2015. Despite uncertainties from incomplete virus sampling and cross-scale spatial processes, patterns suggested multiple independent re-invasion events concurrent with potential viral overwintering between sequential seasons. Our findings pointed to a geographically defined southern virus pool at the US-Mexico interface as the source of VSNJV invasions and overwintering sites. Phylodynamic analysis demonstrated an increase in virus diversity before a rise in case numbers and a pronounced reduction in virus diversity during the winter season, indicative of a genetic bottleneck and a significant narrowing of virus variation between the summer outbreak seasons. Environment-vector interactions underscored the central role of meta-population dynamics in driving disease spread. These insights emphasize the necessity for location- and time-specific management practices, including rapid response, movement restrictions, vector control, and other targeted interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John M. Humphreys
- Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) and National Bio Agro Defense Facility (NBAF), Manhattan Kansas, KS 66502, USA; (L.V.-S.); (M.R.B.); (L.L.R.)
| | - Phillip T. Shults
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA;
| | - Lauro Velazquez-Salinas
- Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) and National Bio Agro Defense Facility (NBAF), Manhattan Kansas, KS 66502, USA; (L.V.-S.); (M.R.B.); (L.L.R.)
| | - Miranda R. Bertram
- Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) and National Bio Agro Defense Facility (NBAF), Manhattan Kansas, KS 66502, USA; (L.V.-S.); (M.R.B.); (L.L.R.)
| | - Angela M. Pelzel-McCluskey
- Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;
| | - Steven J. Pauszek
- Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Orient, NY 11957, USA;
| | - Debra P. C. Peters
- Office of National Programs, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA;
| | - Luis L. Rodriguez
- Foreign Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC) and National Bio Agro Defense Facility (NBAF), Manhattan Kansas, KS 66502, USA; (L.V.-S.); (M.R.B.); (L.L.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Prosser DJ, Kent CM, Sullivan JD, Patyk KA, McCool MJ, Torchetti MK, Lantz K, Mullinax JM. Using an adaptive modeling framework to identify avian influenza spillover risk at the wild-domestic interface. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14199. [PMID: 38902400 PMCID: PMC11189914 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64912-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The wild to domestic bird interface is an important nexus for emergence and transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses. Although the recent incursion of HPAI H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b into North America calls for emergency response and planning given the unprecedented scale, readily available data-driven models are lacking. Here, we provide high resolution spatial and temporal transmission risk models for the contiguous United States. Considering virus host ecology, we included weekly species-level wild waterfowl (Anatidae) abundance and endemic low pathogenic avian influenza virus prevalence metrics in combination with number of poultry farms per commodity type and relative biosecurity risks at two spatial scales: 3 km and county-level. Spillover risk varied across the annual cycle of waterfowl migration and some locations exhibited persistent risk throughout the year given higher poultry production. Validation using wild bird introduction events identified by phylogenetic analysis from 2022 to 2023 HPAI poultry outbreaks indicate strong model performance. The modular nature of our approach lends itself to building upon updated datasets under evolving conditions, testing hypothetical scenarios, or customizing results with proprietary data. This research demonstrates an adaptive approach for developing models to inform preparedness and response as novel outbreaks occur, viruses evolve, and additional data become available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diann J Prosser
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, 20708, USA.
| | - Cody M Kent
- Volunteer to the U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, 20708, USA
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
- Department of Biology, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD, 21532, USA
| | - Jeffery D Sullivan
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD, 20708, USA
| | - Kelly A Patyk
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Mary-Jane McCool
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, Strategy and Policy, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, CO, 80521, USA
| | - Mia Kim Torchetti
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA, Ames, IA, 50010, USA
| | - Kristina Lantz
- National Veterinary Services Laboratories, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, USDA, Ames, IA, 50010, USA
| | - Jennifer M Mullinax
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kent CM, Bevins SN, Mullinax JM, Sullivan JD, Prosser DJ. Waterfowl show spatiotemporal trends in influenza A H5 and H7 infections but limited taxonomic variation. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2906. [PMID: 37522765 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A viruses in wild birds pose threats to the poultry industry, wild birds, and human health under certain conditions. Of particular importance are wild waterfowl, which are the primary reservoir of low-pathogenicity influenza viruses that ultimately cause high-pathogenicity outbreaks in poultry farms. Despite much work on the drivers of influenza A virus prevalence, the underlying viral subtype dynamics are still mostly unexplored. Nevertheless, understanding these dynamics, particularly for the agriculturally significant H5 and H7 subtypes, is important for mitigating the risk of outbreaks in domestic poultry farms. Here, using an expansive surveillance database, we take a large-scale look at the spatial, temporal, and taxonomic drivers in the prevalence of these two subtypes among influenza A-positive wild waterfowl. We document spatiotemporal trends that are consistent with past work, particularly an uptick in H5 viruses in late autumn and H7 viruses in spring. Interestingly, despite large species differences in temporal trends in overall influenza A virus prevalence, we document only modest differences in the relative abundance of these two subtypes and little, if any, temporal differences among species. As such, it appears that differences in species' phenology, physiology, and behaviors that influence overall susceptibility to influenza A viruses play a much lesser role in relative susceptibility to different subtypes. Instead, species are likely to freely pass viruses among each other regardless of subtype. Importantly, despite the similarities among species documented here, individual species still may play important roles in moving viruses across large geographic areas or sustaining local outbreaks through their different migratory behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cody M Kent
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
- Department of Biology, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, Maryland, USA
| | - Sarah N Bevins
- US Department of Agriculture, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Disease Program, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Jennifer M Mullinax
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffery D Sullivan
- US Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Diann J Prosser
- US Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Teitelbaum CS, Casazza ML, McDuie F, De La Cruz SEW, Overton CT, Hall LA, Matchett EL, Ackerman JT, Sullivan JD, Ramey AM, Prosser DJ. Waterfowl recently infected with low pathogenic avian influenza exhibit reduced local movement and delayed migration. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Claire S. Teitelbaum
- Akima Systems Engineering Herndon Virginia USA
- Contractor to U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center Laurel Maryland USA
| | - Michael L. Casazza
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station Dixon California USA
| | - Fiona McDuie
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station Dixon California USA
- San Jose State University Research Foundation Moss Landing Marine Laboratories Moss Landing California USA
| | - Susan E. W. De La Cruz
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station Moffett Field California USA
| | - Cory T. Overton
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station Dixon California USA
| | - Laurie A. Hall
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station Moffett Field California USA
| | - Elliott L. Matchett
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station Dixon California USA
| | - Joshua T. Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station Dixon California USA
| | - Jeffery D. Sullivan
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center Laurel Maryland USA
| | - Andrew M. Ramey
- U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center Anchorage Alaska USA
| | - Diann J. Prosser
- U.S. Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center Laurel Maryland USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
McDuie F, Matchett EL, Prosser DJ, Takekawa JY, Pitesky ME, Lorenz AA, McCuen MM, T OC, Ackerman JT, De La Cruz SEW, Casazza ML. Pathways for avian influenza virus spread: GPS reveals wild waterfowl in commercial livestock facilities and connectivity with the natural wetland landscape. Transbound Emerg Dis 2022; 69:2898-2912. [PMID: 34974641 PMCID: PMC9788224 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Zoonotic diseases are of considerable concern to the human population and viruses such as avian influenza (AIV) threaten food security, wildlife conservation and human health. Wild waterfowl and the natural wetlands they use are known AIV reservoirs, with birds capable of virus transmission to domestic poultry populations. While infection risk models have linked migration routes and AIV outbreaks, there is a limited understanding of wild waterfowl presence on commercial livestock facilities, and movement patterns linked to natural wetlands. We documented 11 wild waterfowl (three Anatidae species) in or near eight commercial livestock facilities in Washington and California with GPS telemetry data. Wild ducks used dairy and beef cattle feed lots and facility retention ponds during both day and night suggesting use for roosting and foraging. Two individuals (single locations) were observed inside poultry facility boundaries while using nearby wetlands. Ducks demonstrated high site fidelity, returning to the same areas of habitats (at livestock facilities and nearby wetlands), across months or years, showed strong connectivity with surrounding wetlands, and arrived from wetlands up to 1251 km away in the week prior. Telemetry data provides substantial advantages over observational data, allowing assessment of individual movement behaviour and wetland connectivity that has significant implications for outbreak management. Telemetry improves our understanding of risk factors for waterfowl-livestock virus transmission and helps identify factors associated with coincident space use at the wild waterfowl-domestic livestock interface. Our research suggests that even relatively small or isolated natural and artificial water or food sources in/near facilities increases the likelihood of attracting waterfowl, which has important consequences for managers attempting to minimize or prevent AIV outbreaks. Use and interpretation of telemetry data, especially in near-real-time, could provide key information for reducing virus transmission risk between waterfowl and livestock, improving protective barriers between wild and domestic species, and abating outbreaks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona McDuie
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field StationSuite D DixonCaliforniaUSA,San Jose State University Research FoundationMoss Landing Marine LaboratoriesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Elliott L Matchett
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field StationSuite D DixonCaliforniaUSA
| | - Diann J Prosser
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center at the Patuxent Research Refuge (formerly USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center)LaurelMarylandUSA
| | - John Y Takekawa
- Suisun Resource Conservation District, Suisun Marsh ProgramWest SacramentoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Maurice E Pitesky
- University of California Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, Poultry Health and Food Safety Epidemiology, One Shields AvenueDavisCaliforniaUSA
| | - Austen A Lorenz
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field StationSuite D DixonCaliforniaUSA
| | - Madeline M McCuen
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field StationSuite D DixonCaliforniaUSA
| | - Overton Cory T
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field StationSuite D DixonCaliforniaUSA
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field StationSuite D DixonCaliforniaUSA
| | - Susan E. W. De La Cruz
- U.S. Geological Survey Western Ecological Research Center, San Francisco Bay Estuary Field StationMoffett FieldCaliforniaUSA
| | - Michael L Casazza
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field StationSuite D DixonCaliforniaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Spatiotemporal changes in influenza A virus prevalence among wild waterfowl inhabiting the continental United States throughout the annual cycle. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13083. [PMID: 35906292 PMCID: PMC9338306 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17396-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian influenza viruses can pose serious risks to agricultural production, human health, and wildlife. An understanding of viruses in wild reservoir species across time and space is important to informing surveillance programs, risk models, and potential population impacts for vulnerable species. Although it is recognized that influenza A virus prevalence peaks in reservoir waterfowl in late summer through autumn, temporal and spatial variation across species has not been fully characterized. We combined two large influenza databases for North America and applied spatiotemporal models to explore patterns in prevalence throughout the annual cycle and across the continental United States for 30 waterfowl species. Peaks in prevalence in late summer through autumn were pronounced for dabbling ducks in the genera Anas and Spatula, but not Mareca. Spatially, areas of high prevalence appeared to be related to regional duck density, with highest predicted prevalence found across the upper Midwest during early fall, though further study is needed. We documented elevated prevalence in late winter and early spring, particularly in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley. Our results suggest that spatiotemporal variation in prevalence outside autumn staging areas may also represent a dynamic parameter to be considered in IAV ecology and associated risks.
Collapse
|
7
|
Prosser DJ, Chen J, Ahlstrom CA, Reeves AB, Poulson RL, Sullivan JD, McAuley D, Callahan CR, McGowan PC, Bahl J, Stallknecht DE, Ramey AM. Maintenance and dissemination of avian-origin influenza A virus within the northern Atlantic Flyway of North America. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010605. [PMID: 35666770 PMCID: PMC9203021 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild waterbirds, the natural reservoirs for avian influenza viruses, undergo migratory movements each year, connecting breeding and wintering grounds within broad corridors known as flyways. In a continental or global view, the study of virus movements within and across flyways is important to understanding virus diversity, evolution, and movement. From 2015 to 2017, we sampled waterfowl from breeding (Maine) and wintering (Maryland) areas within the Atlantic Flyway (AF) along the east coast of North America to investigate the spatio-temporal trends in persistence and spread of influenza A viruses (IAV). We isolated 109 IAVs from 1,821 cloacal / oropharyngeal samples targeting mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) and American black ducks (Anas rubripes), two species having ecological and conservation importance in the flyway that are also host reservoirs of IAV. Isolates with >99% nucleotide similarity at all gene segments were found between eight pairs of birds in the northern site across years, indicating some degree of stability among genome constellations and the possibility of environmental persistence. No movement of whole genome constellations were identified between the two parts of the flyway, however, virus gene flow between the northern and southern study locations was evident. Examination of banding records indicate direct migratory waterfowl movements between the two locations within an annual season, providing a mechanism for the inferred viral gene flow. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses provided evidence for virus dissemination from other North American wild birds to AF dabbling ducks (Anatinae), shorebirds (Charidriformes), and poultry (Galliformes). Evidence was found for virus dissemination from shorebirds to gulls (Laridae), and dabbling ducks to shorebirds and poultry. The findings from this study contribute to the understanding of IAV ecology in waterfowl within the AF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diann J. Prosser
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jiani Chen
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Christina A. Ahlstrom
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| | - Andrew B. Reeves
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
- U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Rebecca L. Poulson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Jeffery D. Sullivan
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel McAuley
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Carl R. Callahan
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chesapeake Bay Field Office, Annapolis, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Peter C. McGowan
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Chesapeake Bay Field Office, Annapolis, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Justin Bahl
- Center for Ecology of Infectious Diseases, Department of Infectious Diseases, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - David E. Stallknecht
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Andrew M. Ramey
- U.S. Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gray SM, Humphreys JM, Montgomery RA, Etter DR, VerCauteren KC, Kramer DB, Roloff GJ. Behavioral states in space and time: understanding landscape use by an invasive mammal. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Steven M. Gray
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University 480 Wilson Road, 13 Natural Resources Building East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - John M. Humphreys
- Pest Management Research Unit, United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Sidney MT 59270 USA
| | - Robert A. Montgomery
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford The Recanati‐Kaplan Centre Tubney House, Abingdon Road Tubney Oxon OX13 5QL United Kingdom
| | - Dwayne R. Etter
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources–Wildlife Division Lansing MI 48911 USA
| | - Kurt C. VerCauteren
- National Wildlife Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services Fort Collins CO 80521 USA
| | - Daniel B. Kramer
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University 480 Wilson Road, 13 Natural Resources Building East Lansing MI 48824 USA
- James Madison College Michigan State University East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| | - Gary J. Roloff
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Michigan State University 480 Wilson Road, 13 Natural Resources Building East Lansing MI 48824 USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Christie KF, Poulson RL, Seixas JS, Hernandez SM. Avian Influenza Virus Status and Maternal Antibodies in Nestling White Ibis ( Eudocimus albus). Microorganisms 2021; 9:2468. [PMID: 34946070 PMCID: PMC8707160 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), a nomadic wading bird, has increased its exploitation of urban habitats in South Florida, United States, and has recently established several urban breeding colonies. Certain characteristics of ibis ecology could position them in the natural cycle of the avian influenza virus (AIV). In fact, experimentally infected ibises were shown to be competent hosts for multiple AIV subtypes, and seroconversion to AIV has been documented in adult ibises in natural populations. However, the mechanisms of transmission and the timing of infection are unclear as we have yet to isolate AIV from a free-living ibis. To investigate the age-specific AIV dynamics of ibis, we captured nestlings (n = 115) weekly for 1-4 weeks from urban and natural settings in 2020 and 2021. We collected choanal/cloacal swabs for rRT-PCR and virus isolation, and plasma to screen for maternal AIV antibodies. AIV was not detected in any individual by virus isolation; however, maternal antibodies to AIV were detected in 95% of nestlings, with varying rates of catabolism. These results confirm that nestlings are afforded maternal antibodies from adults at rates reflective of higher adult seroprevalence than previously documented and that nestlings in breeding colonies may have some degree of protection and are unlikely to become infected with AIV.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rebecca L. Poulson
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| | - Julia Silva Seixas
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| | - Sonia M. Hernandez
- Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Yoo DS, Lee K, Beatriz ML, Chun BC, Belkhiria J, Lee KN. Spatiotemporal risk assessment for avian influenza outbreak based on the dynamics of habitat suitability for wild birds. Transbound Emerg Dis 2021; 69:e953-e967. [PMID: 34738338 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.14376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has predominantly damaged the poultry industry worldwide. The fundamental prevention and control strategy for HPAI includes early detection and timely intervention enforcement through a systematic surveillance system for wild birds based on the ecological understanding of the dynamics of wild birds' movements. Our study aimed to develop a spatiotemporal risk assessment model for avian influenza (AI) infection in wild birds to empower surveillance information for a contingency strategy. For this purpose, first, we predicted the monthly habitat suitability of seven waterfowl species, using 227,671 Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking records of 562 birds from 2014 to 2018 in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Then, that predicted habitat suitability and 421 coordinates of AI detection sites in wild birds were used to build the risk assessment model. Subsequently, we compared the monthly predicted risk of avian influenza virus (AIv) identification in wild birds between case and non-case poultry farms with HPAI H5N6 outbreak in the ROK between 2016 and 2017. The results reported considerable variation of monthly habitat suitability of seven waterfowls and the impact of predicting AI occurrences in wild birds. The high habitat suitability for spot-billed ducks (contribution rate in November = 40.9%) and mallards (contribution rate in January = 34.3%) significantly contributed to predicting the average risk of AIv identification in wild birds, with high predictive performance [the monthly mean of area under the curve (AUC) = 0.978]. Moreover, our model showed that the averaged risk of identification AI in wild birds was significantly higher in HPAI infected premises, with infected domestic duck holdings exhibiting a significantly higher risk than the chicken farms in November. This study suggests that animal health authority establishes a risk-based HPAI surveillance system grounded on the ecological nature of wild birds to improve the effectiveness of prevention and preparedness of emerging epidemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dae-Sung Yoo
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyuyoung Lee
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Martínez López Beatriz
- Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance (CADMS), Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Byung Chul Chun
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaber Belkhiria
- One Health Institute, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Kwang-Nyeong Lee
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Humphreys JM, Pelzel-McCluskey AM, Cohnstaedt LW, McGregor BL, Hanley KA, Hudson AR, Young KI, Peck D, Rodriguez LL, Peters DPC. Integrating Spatiotemporal Epidemiology, Eco-Phylogenetics, and Distributional Ecology to Assess West Nile Disease Risk in Horses. Viruses 2021; 13:v13091811. [PMID: 34578392 PMCID: PMC8473291 DOI: 10.3390/v13091811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne West Nile virus (WNV) is the causative agent of West Nile disease in humans, horses, and some bird species. Since the initial introduction of WNV to the United States (US), approximately 30,000 horses have been impacted by West Nile neurologic disease and hundreds of additional horses are infected each year. Research describing the drivers of West Nile disease in horses is greatly needed to better anticipate the spatial and temporal extent of disease risk, improve disease surveillance, and alleviate future economic impacts to the equine industry and private horse owners. To help meet this need, we integrated techniques from spatiotemporal epidemiology, eco-phylogenetics, and distributional ecology to assess West Nile disease risk in horses throughout the contiguous US. Our integrated approach considered horse abundance and virus exposure, vector and host distributions, and a variety of extrinsic climatic, socio-economic, and environmental risk factors. Birds are WNV reservoir hosts, and therefore we quantified avian host community dynamics across the continental US to show intra-annual variability in host phylogenetic structure and demonstrate host phylodiversity as a mechanism for virus amplification in time and virus dilution in space. We identified drought as a potential amplifier of virus transmission and demonstrated the importance of accounting for spatial non-stationarity when quantifying interaction between disease risk and meteorological influences such as temperature and precipitation. Our results delineated the timing and location of several areas at high risk of West Nile disease and can be used to prioritize vaccination programs and optimize virus surveillance and monitoring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John M. Humphreys
- Pest Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Sidney, MT 59270, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Angela M. Pelzel-McCluskey
- Veterinary Services, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), US Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;
| | - Lee W. Cohnstaedt
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; (L.W.C.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Bethany L. McGregor
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA; (L.W.C.); (B.L.M.)
| | - Kathryn A. Hanley
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA; (K.A.H.); (K.I.Y.)
| | - Amy R. Hudson
- Big Data Initiative and SCINet Program for Scientific Computing, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20704, USA; (A.R.H.); (D.P.C.P.)
| | - Katherine I. Young
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA; (K.A.H.); (K.I.Y.)
| | - Dannele Peck
- Northern Plains Climate Hub, US Department of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA;
| | - Luis L. Rodriguez
- Plum Island Animal Disease Center, US Department of Agriculture, Orient Point, NY 11957, USA;
| | - Debra P. C. Peters
- Big Data Initiative and SCINet Program for Scientific Computing, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20704, USA; (A.R.H.); (D.P.C.P.)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Avian Influenza in Wild Birds and Poultry: Dissemination Pathways, Monitoring Methods, and Virus Ecology. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10050630. [PMID: 34065291 PMCID: PMC8161317 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10050630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian influenza is one of the largest known threats to domestic poultry. Influenza outbreaks on poultry farms typically lead to the complete slaughter of the entire domestic bird population, causing severe economic losses worldwide. Moreover, there are highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strains that are able to infect the swine or human population in addition to their primary avian host and, as such, have the potential of being a global zoonotic and pandemic threat. Migratory birds, especially waterfowl, are a natural reservoir of the avian influenza virus; they carry and exchange different virus strains along their migration routes, leading to antigenic drift and antigenic shift, which results in the emergence of novel HPAI viruses. This requires monitoring over time and in different locations to allow for the upkeep of relevant knowledge on avian influenza virus evolution and the prevention of novel epizootic and epidemic outbreaks. In this review, we assess the role of migratory birds in the spread and introduction of influenza strains on a global level, based on recent data. Our analysis sheds light on the details of viral dissemination linked to avian migration, the viral exchange between migratory waterfowl and domestic poultry, virus ecology in general, and viral evolution as a process tightly linked to bird migration. We also provide insight into methods used to detect and quantify avian influenza in the wild. This review may be beneficial for the influenza research community and may pave the way to novel strategies of avian influenza and HPAI zoonosis outbreak monitoring and prevention.
Collapse
|
13
|
Humphreys JM, Young KI, Cohnstaedt LW, Hanley KA, Peters DPC. Vector Surveillance, Host Species Richness, and Demographic Factors as West Nile Disease Risk Indicators. Viruses 2021; 13:934. [PMID: 34070039 PMCID: PMC8267946 DOI: 10.3390/v13050934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
West Nile virus (WNV) is the most common arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) in the United States (US) and is the leading cause of viral encephalitis in the country. The virus has affected tens of thousands of US persons total since its 1999 North America introduction, with thousands of new infections reported annually. Approximately 1% of humans infected with WNV acquire neuroinvasive West Nile Disease (WND) with severe encephalitis and risk of death. Research describing WNV ecology is needed to improve public health surveillance, monitoring, and risk assessment. We applied Bayesian joint-spatiotemporal modeling to assess the association of vector surveillance data, host species richness, and a variety of other environmental and socioeconomic disease risk factors with neuroinvasive WND throughout the conterminous US. Our research revealed that an aging human population was the strongest disease indicator, but climatic and vector-host biotic interactions were also significant in determining risk of neuroinvasive WND. Our analysis also identified a geographic region of disproportionately high neuroinvasive WND disease risk that parallels the Continental Divide, and extends southward from the US-Canada border in the states of Montana, North Dakota, and Wisconsin to the US-Mexico border in western Texas. Our results aid in unraveling complex WNV ecology and can be applied to prioritize disease surveillance locations and risk assessment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John M. Humphreys
- Pest Management Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Sidney, MT 59270, USA
| | - Katherine I. Young
- Jornada Experimental Range Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA; (K.I.Y.); (D.P.C.P.)
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA;
| | - Lee W. Cohnstaedt
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA;
| | - Kathryn A. Hanley
- Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA;
| | - Debra P. C. Peters
- Jornada Experimental Range Unit, Agricultural Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA; (K.I.Y.); (D.P.C.P.)
| |
Collapse
|