Contact between bird species of different lifespans can promote the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza strains

Abstract

Significance The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses has received much attention due to the severe consequences of their occasional spread to humans, as well as the large toll they take on the poultry industry. Here we argue that the main barriers to the emergence of these viruses are imposed by immunity to related strains rather than the ability of the virus to acquire the necessary mutations. We show that, under these circumstances, patterns of influenza in different avian species are strongly dependent on their lifespan and that processes that alter the interactions between species of different lifespans—such as changes in farming practices—could promote the emergence of highly pathogenic types.

Virome heterogeneity and connectivity in waterfowl and shorebird communities

“…For example, in Australia, taxonomically related dabbling Grey Teals (Anas gracilis) and Pacific Black Ducks (Anas superciliosa) may share the environment with the distantly related filter feeding Pink-eared Duck (Malacorhynchus membranaceus). These multi-host flocks form multi-host maintenance communities [6], with consequences for virus ecology, transmission, and virulence [1,16,17].…”

Antibody responses to avian influenza viruses in wild birds broaden with age

“…In bird populations, many genetically diverse subtypes can coexist [7]. Modelling studies have investigated whether differences in influenza virus dynamics between species of different lifespans are in part a consequence of the faster rate at which immunologically naive hosts are replenished in shorter-lived species compared with long-lived species [8,9]. Such studies assume that immunological memory to a specific antigen can last for the lifetime of the host and thus the breadth of response to different antigenic strains increases as an individual ages.…”

“…younger birds). Whether the breadth of responses to different AIV HA types increases with age has not been investigated [8,9]. …”

Parallel Evolution in the Emergence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A Viruses

“…host immunity, rather than by mutability (Wikramaratna, et al 2014). In order to detect genotype-to-phenotype links, we determined the degree of association distribution denoted by clustering linked to the HP phenotype (Table 1).…”