Ducks as Sentinels for Avian Influenza | CDC EID

EID Journal Home > Volume 15, Number 10–October 2009

Volume 15, Number 10–October 2009
Dispatch
Ducks as Sentinels for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds
Anja Globig, Anette Baumer, Sandra Revilla-Fernández, Martin Beer, Eveline Wodak, Maria Fink, Norbert Greber, Timm C. Harder, Hendrik Wilking, Iris Brunhart, Doris Matthes, Ulf Kraatz, Peter Strunk, Wolfgang Fiedler, Sasan R. Fereidouni, Christoph Staubach, Franz J. Conraths, Chris Griot, Thomas C. Mettenleiter, and Katharina D.C. Stärk
Author affiliations: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany (A. Globig, M. Beer, T.C. Harder, H. Wilking, U. Kraatz, P. Strunk, S.R. Fereidouni, C. Staubach, F.J. Conraths, T.C. Mettenleiter); Institute of Virology and Immunoprophylaxis, Mittelhäusern, Switzerland (A. Baumer, C. Griot); Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Mödling, Austria (S. Revilla-Fernández, E. Wodak, M. Fink); State of Vorarlberg Veterinary Directorate, Vorarlberg, Austria (N. Greber); Bird Ringing Centre, Radolfzell, Germany (D. Matthes, W. Fiedler); Federal Veterinary Office, Bern, Switzerland (I. Brunhart); and Royal Veterinary College, London, UK (K.D.C. Stärk)

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Abstract
To determine the effectiveness of ducks as sentinels for avian influenza virus (AIV) infection, we placed mallards in contact with wild birds at resting sites in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Infections of sentinel birds with different AIV subtypes confirmed the value of such surveillance for AIV monitoring.

As a consequence of infections of wild birds and poultry with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1, surveillance of wild birds for avian influenza viruses (AIVs) has intensified in Europe since 2005. Reporting of results is compulsory in the European Union (1,2). HPAIV surveillance includes investigation of dead or sick wild birds (3) with the aim of early detection of HPAIV (H5N1) complemented by sampling of healthy wild birds to monitor for low pathogenicity (LP) AIV strains (4). Previously, sentinel birds were used successfully to obtain information about AIV subtypes circulating in wild birds (5), but results of those studies are now outdated. Also, the effectiveness of sentinel birds has not yet been documented for AIV strains that emerged during the past decade.

We evaluated a sentinel approach to monitor the prevalence of HPAIV and LPAIV within an ecosystem, obtain information about seroconversion and duration of immunity after infection with AIV, and serve as an early warning system for the introduction of HPAIV (H5N1) and other notifiable AIVs (subtypes H5 and H7) to wild bird populations. Here we summarize results from a 2-year period of 3 international sentinel projects ongoing since 2006.

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