ARS | Publication request: Avian influenza virus wild bird surveillance in the Azov and Black Sea regions of Ukraine

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: December 28, 2011
Publication Date: April 1, 2012
Citation: Muzyka, D., Pantin Jackwood, M.J., Stegniy, B., Rula, O., Shutchenko, P. 2012. Avian influenza virus wild bird surveillance in the Azov and Black Sea regions of Ukraine. Meeting Abstract. 8th International Symposium on Avian Influenza London, UK. April 1-4,2012 p.80.

Technical Abstract: The Azov and Black Sea basins are transcontinental migration routes of wild birds from Northern Asia and Europe to the Mediterranean, Africa and Southwest Asia. These regions constitute an area of transit, stops during migration, and nesting of many migratory bird species with a very high level of biodiversity. From September 2010 to September 2011 a surveillance study was conducted on wild birds in these regions. Biological samples consisting of cloacal and tracheal swabs, fecal samples, and internal organs were collected from wild birds of different ecological groups - waterfowl, sea, and land - in places of mass bird accumulation in the Sivash bay, and Utlyuksky and Molochniy estuaries. The sampling covered the wild bird biological cycles - the autumn migration, winter, and spring migration, nesting and after nesting seasons. A total of 3857 samples were collected from 66 different species of birds. During the autumn migration 19 hemagglutinating viruses were isolated and identified as low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) viruses subtypes H8N4, H3N8, H11N9, H10N7 and H5N2. Avian paramyxovirus serotypes PMV-1, PMV-4, PMV-6 and PMV-7 were also detected. From the winter samples, 32 hemagglutinating viruses were isolated and identified as LPAI viruses subtypes H1N1, H1N2, H6N1, H8N2, H9N2, H10N7, H10N4, H11N2, H12N2, H15N7, as well as, avian paramyxoviruses serotypes PMV-4 and PMV-6. LPAI viruses were isolated mostly from mallard ducks, but also from shellducks, shovelers, teals, and white fronted geese. No viruses were detected during spring migration, nesting season, and after nesting migrations. This information leads to better understanding of the ecology of avian influenza in wild bird species.