Seasonal risk of low pathogenic avian influenza virus introductions into free‐range layer farms in the Netherlands

Gonzáles, José L.; Pritz‐Verschuren, Sylvia B. E.; Bouwstra, Ruth; Wiegel, Jeanine; Elbers, A.R.W.; Beerens, Nancy

doi:10.1111/tbed.13649

Cited by 16 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Transmission of LPAI viruses to chickens was reported to occur via water [ 44 , 45 ], and transmission of HPAI H5N1 virus via water and soil [ 46 , 47 ]. The risk of introduction of avian influenza for outdoor-layer farms is six times higher than for indoor-layer farms [ 48 ], and the risk in the winter months is four times higher than in the summer months in the Netherlands [ 49 ]. In the winter, large numbers of migratory wild birds are present in the Netherlands, but also increased rainfall and lower temperatures will provide optimal circumstances for long-term survival of virus in the environment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative pathogenicity and environmental transmission of recent highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses

Beerens

Germeraad

Venema

et al. 2021

Emerging Microbes & Infections

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Strategies to control spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses by wild birds appear limited, hence timely characterization of novel viruses is important to mitigate the risk for the poultry sector and human health. In this study we characterize three recent H5-clade 2.3.4.4 viruses, the H5N8-2014 group A virus and the H5N8-2016 and H5N6-2017 group B viruses. The pathogenicity of the three viruses for chickens, Pekin ducks and Eurasian wigeons was compared. The three viruses were highly pathogenic for chickens, but the two H5N8 viruses caused no to mild clinical symptoms in both duck species. The highest pathogenicity for duck species was observed for the most recent H5N6-2017 virus. For both duck species, virus shedding from the cloaca was higher after infection with group B viruses compared to the H5N8-2014 group A virus. Higher cloacal virus shedding of wild ducks may increase transmission between wild birds and poultry. Environmental transmission of H5N8-2016 virus to chickens was studied, which showed that chickens are efficiently infected by (fecal) contaminated water. These results suggest that pathogenicity of HPAI H5 viruses and virus shedding for ducks is evolving, which may have implications for the risk of introduction of these viruses into the poultry sector.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative pathogenicity and environmental transmission of recent highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses

Beerens

Germeraad

Venema

et al. 2021

Emerging Microbes & Infections

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“…Indeed, mallard movement patterns are strongly adjusted to the availability of wetlands [ 129 ], yet mallards and common teal have also been shown to forage outside wetlands and visit different agricultural fields [ 169 ]. Similarly, November to February was identified as the period with the highest risk of virus introductions into poultry, based on LPAI virus introductions into poultry in the Netherlands (2013–2016) [ 170 ]. This period covers partly local LPAI virus peak prevalence in mallards (August–December) and in non-mallard ducks (October–December); however, the last group is most abundant locally during winter.…”

Section: Underlying Mechanisms Of Emergence Of Novel Hpai H5 Virusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses at the Wild–Domestic Bird Interface in Europe: Future Directions for Research and Surveillance

Verhagen¹,

Fouchier²,

Lewis

2021

Viruses

180

143

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Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in wild birds and poultry are no longer a rare phenomenon in Europe. In the past 15 years, HPAI outbreaks—in particular those caused by H5 viruses derived from the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage that emerged in southeast Asia in 1996—have been occuring with increasing frequency in Europe. Between 2005 and 2020, at least ten HPAI H5 incursions were identified in Europe resulting in mass mortalities among poultry and wild birds. Until 2009, the HPAI H5 virus outbreaks in Europe were caused by HPAI H5N1 clade 2.2 viruses, while from 2014 onwards HPAI H5 clade 2.3.4.4 viruses dominated outbreaks, with abundant genetic reassortments yielding subtypes H5N1, H5N2, H5N3, H5N4, H5N5, H5N6 and H5N8. The majority of HPAI H5 virus detections in wild and domestic birds within Europe coincide with southwest/westward fall migration and large local waterbird aggregations during wintering. In this review we provide an overview of HPAI H5 virus epidemiology, ecology and evolution at the interface between poultry and wild birds based on 15 years of avian influenza virus surveillance in Europe, and assess future directions for HPAI virus research and surveillance, including the integration of whole genome sequencing, host identification and avian ecology into risk-based surveillance and analyses.

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“…This field experiment was performed in a farm which has suffered multiple introductions of avian influenza virus along the years. The specific months of December and January were selected because these are not only the months with the highest risk for AIV-introduction in free-range layer farms in the Netherlands 49 , but also the months with the expected highest number of visitations to the free-range area by wild birds, especially mallards 35 . By selecting this farm, for which we had in-depth knowledge on its temporal exposure to wild birds, and using a before (control—no laser) and after design (intervention—with laser), we controlled for geographical and farm management sources of variation (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Approximately 20% of the free-range layer farms of the Netherlands have faced one or more LPAIV-introductions in the years between 2007 and 2018 13 , 15 , with the peak of introductions observed in the period between November and February 49 . Layer farms that are situated in close proximity to waterways and nature reserves are at greatest AIV-introduction risk because waterfowl are attracted to both environments 15 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficacy of an automated laser for reducing wild bird visits to the free range area of a poultry farm

Elbers

Gonzáles

2021

Sci Rep

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In the Netherlands, free-range layer farms as opposed to indoor layer farms, are at greater risk with regard to the introduction of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). Wild waterfowl are the natural reservoir hosts of AIVs, and play a major role in their transmission to poultry by contaminating free-range layer areas. The laser as a wild bird repellent has been in use since the 1970s, in particular around airfields to reduce bird-strike. The efficacy of laser for reducing wild bird numbers in and around free-range poultry areas has however not been investigated. During the autumn–winter, wild bird visits to the free-range area of a layer farm was surveilled by video-camera for a month without laser, followed by a month with laser. The automated laser (Class-III B qualification) was operated in two separate areas (i) within the poultry free-range area that directly bordered the poultry barn between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. when poultry were absent (free-range study area, size 1.5 ha), and (ii) in surrounding grass pastures between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The overall (all bird species combined) efficacy of the laser for reducing the rate of wild birds visiting the free-range study area was 98.2%, and for the Orders Anseriformes and Passeriformes, respectively, was 99.7% and 96.1%. With the laser in operation, the overall exposure time of the free-range area to wild bird visits, but specifically to the Order Anseriformes, was massively reduced. It can be concluded that the Class-III B laser is highly proficient at keeping wild birds, in particular waterfowl, away from the free-range area of layer farms situated along a winter migration flyway.

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Seasonal risk of low pathogenic avian influenza virus introductions into free‐range layer farms in the Netherlands

Abstract: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cited by 16 publications

References 30 publications

Comparative pathogenicity and environmental transmission of recent highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses

Comparative pathogenicity and environmental transmission of recent highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses at the Wild–Domestic Bird Interface in Europe: Future Directions for Research and Surveillance

Efficacy of an automated laser for reducing wild bird visits to the free range area of a poultry farm

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