Movement and contact patterns of long-distance free-grazing ducks and avian influenza persistence in Vietnam.

ABSTRACT: Presence of ducks, and in particular of free-grazing ducks, has consistently been shown to be one of the most important risk factors for highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks which has compromised poultry production in South-East Asia since the early 2000s and continues to threaten public health, farmers' livelihood and food security. Although free-grazing duck production has been practised for decades in South-East Asia, there are few published studies describing this production system, which is suspected to play an important role in the maintenance of avian influenza viruses. This study aimed at describing quantitatively the long-distance free-grazing duck production system in South Vietnam, characterising the movement and contact patterns of the duck flocks, and identifying potent

SUBMITTER: Meyer A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5478089 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature