Hampered performance of migratory swans: intra- and inter-seasonal effects of avian influenza virus.

ABSTRACT: The extent to which animal migrations shape parasite transmission networks is critically dependent on a migrant's ability to tolerate infection and migrate successfully. Yet, sub-lethal effects of parasites can be intensified through periods of increased physiological stress. Long-distance migrants may, therefore, be especially susceptible to negative effects of parasitic infection. Although a handful of studies have investigated the short-term, transmission-relevant behaviors of wild birds infected with low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIV), the ecological consequences of LPAIV for the hosts themselves remain largely unknown. Here, we assessed the potential effects of naturally-acquired LPAIV infections in Bewick's swans, a long-distance migratory species that experiences relativ

SUBMITTER: Hoye BJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5007603 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature