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Title: Avian influenza virus wild bird surveillance in the Azov and Black Sea regions of Ukraine (2010-2011)

Author
item MUZYKA, DENYS - National Scientific Center
item Pantin Jackwood, Mary
item Spackman, Erica
item STEGNIY, BORYS - National Scientific Center
item RULA, OLEKSANDR - National Scientific Center
item SHUTCHENKO, PAVLO - National Scientific Center

Submitted to: Avian Diseases
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/16/2012
Publication Date: 12/1/2012
Citation: Muzyka, D., Pantin Jackwood, M.J., Spackman, E., Stegniy, B., Rula, O., Shutchenko, P. 2012. Avian influenza virus wild bird surveillance in the Azov and Black Sea regions of Ukraine (2010-2011). Avian Diseases. 56:1010-1016.

Interpretive Summary: A wild bird surveillance study was conducted from September 2010 to September 2011 in The Azov and Black Sea regions in Ukraine in order to identify avian influenza viruses (AIV) in these populations. Biological samples were collected from wild birds of different ecological groups, in places of mass bird accumulations, and sampling covered the autumn migration, wintering, and spring migration, nesting and after nesting seasons. A total of 3857 samples were collected from 66 different species of birds and many subtypes of AIV were identified, most of them during the winter season. Sequencing of some of these viruses revealed possible ecological connections of the Azov and Black Sea regions with AIV’s from Europe. AIV’s were isolated mostly from mallard ducks, but also from shellducks, shovelers, teals, and white fronted geese. This information leads to better understanding of the ecology of avian influenza in wild bird species.

Technical Abstract: The Azov and Black Sea basins are part of the transcontinental wild bird migration routes from Northern Asia and Europe to the Mediterranean, Africa and Southwest Asia. These regions constitute an area of transit, stops during migration, and nesting for many different bird species. From September 2010 to September 2011 a wild bird surveillance study was conducted in these regions in order to identify avian influenza viruses (AIV) in these populations. Biological samples consisting of cloacal and tracheal swabs, and fecal samples were collected from wild birds of different ecological groups, including waterfowl, sea, and land-based birds, in places of mass bird accumulation in the Sivash bay and Utlyuksky and Molochniy estuaries. The sampling covered the following wild bird biological cycles: autumn migration, wintering, and spring migration, nesting and after nesting seasons. A total of 3857 samples were collected from 66 different species of birds. During the autumn migration 19 hemagglutinating viruses were isolated and 14 of which were identified as low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses subtypes H8N4, H3N8, H11N8, H10N7, H5N2 , H1N? and H7N?. From the wintering samples, 45 hemagglutinating viruses were isolated and 36 of them identified as LPAI viruses subtypes H1N1, H1N2, H6N1, H7N3, H7N6, H7N7, H8N2, H9N2, H10N7, H10N4, H11N2, H12N2, H15N7, H1N? and H4N?. Only three viruses were isolated during spring migration, nesting season, and after nesting migrations (serotypes H6, H13, and H16). The HA and NA genes were sequenced from the H5 and N1 viruses and the phylogenetic analysis revealed possible ecological connections of the Azov and Black Sea regions with AIV’s from Europe. The rest of the 14 hemagglutinating viruses isolated were identified as different serotypes of avian paramyxoviruses (PMV-1, PMV-4, PMV-6, and PMV-7). LPAI viruses were isolated mostly from mallard ducks, but also from shellducks, shovelers, teals, and white fronted geese. This information leads to better understanding of the ecology of avian influenza in wild bird species.