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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348122

Research Project: Intervention Strategies to Prevent and Control Disease Outbreaks Caused by Emerging Strains of Avian Influenza Viruses

Location: Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research

Title: Intercontinental spread of Asian-origin H7 avian influenza viruses by captive bird trade in 1990

Author
item LEE, DONGHUN - Orise Fellow
item KILLIAN, MARY - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item TORCHETTI, MIA - Animal And Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
item BROWN, IAN - Animal & Plant Health Agency Apha
item LEWIS, NICOLA - Animal & Plant Health Agency Apha
item Swayne, David

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2018
Publication Date: 4/15/2018
Citation: Lee, D., Killian, M., Torchetti, M., Brown, I., Lewis, N., Swayne, D.E. 2018. Intercontinental spread of Asian-origin H7 avian influenza viruses by captive bird trade in 1990. Meeting Abstract. 87.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Wild bird migration and illegal trade of infected poultry, eggs, and poultry products have caused the spread of avian influenza viruses (AIV). During 1994-1995, the H7N1 low pathogenic AIV (LPAIV) were identified from pet birds, such as parrot, conure, fairy blue bird, and common iora, kept in aviaries or quarantine in England, The Netherlands and Singapore between 1994 and 1995. In the United States (U.S.), Asian-origin H7N1 and H7N8 viruses were detected from exotic birds at quarantine, such as pekin robin, magpie robin, flycatcher, and softbill, intended for importation into the U.S. during 1992-1996. In this study, we sequenced these H7 viruses isolated from quarantine facilities and aviaries using next-generation sequencing and conducted a comparative phylogenetic analysis of complete genome sequences to estimate the evolutionary history and to elucidate spread patterns. The complete genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis suggest that H7 viruses were originated from a common source even though they were identified from distant geographical regions. All H7N1 and H7N8 viruses were LPAIV except a H7N1 highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV), A/Pekin robin/California/30412/94(H7N1) virus. Our results highlight the risk of the illegal bird trade which could be a possible route for the introduction and dissemination of HPAIV throughout the world.