Molecular and epidemiological characterization of avian influenza viruses from gulls and dabbling ducks in Norway.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Wild aquatic birds constitute the natural reservoir for avian influenza viruses (AIVs). Separate Eurasian and American AIV gene pools exist. Here, the prevalence and diversity of AIVs in gulls and dabbling ducks in Norway were described. The influence of host species and temporal changes on AIV prevalence was examined. Five AIVs from Norway, including three from common gull (Larus canus), were analyzed along with 10 available AIV genomes from gulls in Eurasia to search for evidence of intracontinental and intercontinental reassortment of gene segments encoding the internal viral proteins.

Methods

Swabs collected from 2417 dabbling ducks and gulls in the south-west of Norway during five ordinary hunting seasons (August-December) in the period 2005-2010 were analyze

SUBMITTER: Tonnessen R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3639200 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature