Environmental transmission of influenza A virus in mallards.

ABSTRACT:

Importance

Wild birds are the natural reservoir hosts of influenza A viruses. Highly pathogenic strains of influenza A viruses pose risks to wild birds, poultry, and human health. Thus, understanding how these viruses are transmitted between birds is critical. We conducted an experiment where we experimentally infected mallards which are ducks that are commonly exposed to influenza viruses. We exposed several contact ducks to the experimentally infected duck to estimate the probability that a contact duck would become infected from either exposure to the virus shed directly from the infected duck or shared water contaminated with the virus from the infected duck. We found that environmental transmission from contaminated water best predicted the probability of transmission to naïve

SUBMITTER: Pepin KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10653830 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature