Association of wild bird densities around poultry farms with the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N8 outbreaks in the Netherlands, 2016

Abstract

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Avian Influenza in Wild Birds and Poultry: Dissemination Pathways, Monitoring Methods, and Virus Ecology

“…The densities of the selected HPAI high-risk wild bird species, such as Eurasian wigeons, tufted ducks, Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans), and Laridae (gulls), around H5N8 HPAIV-infected farms were compared to the densities around noninfected reference farms, also taking the altitude and amount of aquatic bodies into account. A positive correlation between HPAI-infected farms and migratory waterfowl density was observed, confirming the hypothesis of instant pathogen exchange between these two types of AIV reservoirs [109].…”

Contexts matter: Epidemiology and control of avian and swine influenza in contrasted settings

“…In unaffected areas, knowledge of wild bird communities’ distributions is a prerequisite to the identification of high‐risk environments, which can be targeted to enhance surveillance activities. In the Netherlands, Velkers et al., (2020) analysed the spatio‐temporal dynamics of wild bird densities around poultry farms, and Gonzales et al., (2020) showed how the risk of AIV introduction on farms varied with the abundance of migratory birds. While the sampling of individual birds is routinely used to assess the extent of AIV circulation in a particular setting, environmental sampling offers promising route for monitoring complex environments such as wild bird habitats or live bird markets.…”

Fighting Avian Flu

“…Several wild bird species have been identified as high risk HPAI bird species, of which most belong to the order of Anseriformes (mainly duck, geese, swans) and Charadriiformes (gulls, turns, shorebirds) (Animal and Plant Health Agency (UK) et Hill et al, 2019). Research has shown that HPAI outbreaks on poultry farms are spatially associated with the proximity of waterbodies or the presence of wild birds (Belkhiria et al, 2018;Napp et al, 2018;Velkers et al, 2020). The density of HPAI high-risk bird species around infected poultry farms in wetlands was significantly higher than around non-infected farms in non-water-rich areas in the Netherlands , and wild bird densities have been used previously to quantify risk of HPAIV introduction on poultry farms in Great-Britain (Hill et al, 2019).…”

“…H5N8 ( 2014and 2016) and H5N6 (2017) have caused outbreaks in Europe on commercial poultry farms, as well as massive mortality in wild birds (Bouwstra et al, 2015a;Verhagen et al, 2015a;Beerens et al, 2017;Kleyheeg et al, 2017). HPAI outbreaks on poultry farms are spatially associated with the proximity of waterbodies or the presence of wild birds (Belkhiria et al, 2018;Napp et al, 2018;Velkers et al, 2020). For example, Velkers et al (2020) showed that the density of HPAI high-risk bird species around infected poultry farms in wetlands was significantly higher than around non-infected farms in non-water-rich areas.…”

“…HPAI outbreaks on poultry farms are spatially associated with the proximity of waterbodies or the presence of wild birds (Belkhiria et al, 2018;Napp et al, 2018;Velkers et al, 2020). For example, Velkers et al (2020) showed that the density of HPAI high-risk bird species around infected poultry farms in wetlands was significantly higher than around non-infected farms in non-water-rich areas. This was especially true for the Eurasian wigeon, which was one of the species with massive mortality due to HPAI in 2016-2017 (Kleyheeg et al, 2017).…”