Virulence of H5N1 influenza virus in cattle egrets (Bubulcus Ibis)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Virulence of H5N1 influenza virus in cattle egrets (Bubulcus Ibis)

AU - Phuong, Do Quy

AU - Dung, Nguyen Tien

AU - Jørgensen, Poul Henrik

AU - Van, Dao Thanh

AU - Tung, Dao Duy

AU - Christensen, Jens Peter

PY - 2011/4

Y1 - 2011/4

N2 - In Vietnam, Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) are common in a variety of habitats, such as freshwater marshes, beaches and paddy fields. They are also found associated with cattle (Bos spp.) and occasionally with pigs (Sus scrofa), goats (Capra hircus) and horses (Equus caballus) and are kept for insect control in households. In this study, six Cattle Egrets were experimentally infected intranasally with highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) A/duck/Vietnam/40D/04 (H5N1) to investigate a possible epidemiologic role for Cattle Egrets in outbreaks of H5N1 AI in Vietnam. The Cattle Egrets were highly susceptible to the infection and either died within a week or had to be euthanized. Five uninfected chickens housed with the inoculated Cattle Egrets from day 1 to day 8 postinfection showed no signs of disease or mortality. This observation was most probably due to the low-level virus shedding by the Cattle Egrets. We concluded that Cattle Egrets are not significant reservoir hosts for H5N1 AI virus.

AB - In Vietnam, Cattle Egrets (Bubulcus ibis) are common in a variety of habitats, such as freshwater marshes, beaches and paddy fields. They are also found associated with cattle (Bos spp.) and occasionally with pigs (Sus scrofa), goats (Capra hircus) and horses (Equus caballus) and are kept for insect control in households. In this study, six Cattle Egrets were experimentally infected intranasally with highly pathogenic avian influenza (AI) A/duck/Vietnam/40D/04 (H5N1) to investigate a possible epidemiologic role for Cattle Egrets in outbreaks of H5N1 AI in Vietnam. The Cattle Egrets were highly susceptible to the infection and either died within a week or had to be euthanized. Five uninfected chickens housed with the inoculated Cattle Egrets from day 1 to day 8 postinfection showed no signs of disease or mortality. This observation was most probably due to the low-level virus shedding by the Cattle Egrets. We concluded that Cattle Egrets are not significant reservoir hosts for H5N1 AI virus.

KW - Former LIFE faculty

KW - Avian influenza

KW - Cattle Egrets

KW - epidemiology

KW - Experimental infection

KW - H5N1

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0090-3558

VL - 47

SP - 314

EP - 320

JO - Journal of Wildlife Diseases

JF - Journal of Wildlife Diseases

IS - 2

ER -