The Ecology of Emerging Infectious Diseases in Migratory Birds: An Assessment of the Role of Climate Change and Priorities for Future Research

Abstract

Pathogens that are maintained by wild birds occasionally jump to human hosts, causing considerable loss of life and disruption to global commerce. Preliminary evidence suggests that climate change and human movements and commerce may have played a role in recent range expansions of avian pathogens. Since the magnitude of climate change in the coming decades is predicted to exceed climatic changes in the recent past, there is an urgent need to determine the extent to which climate change may drive the spread of disease by avian migrants. In this review, we recommend actions intended to mitigate the impact of emergent pathogens of migratory birds on biodiversity and public health. Increased surveillance that builds upon existing bird banding networks is required to conclusively establish a link between climate and avian pathogens and to prevent pathogens with migratory bird reservoirs from spilling over to humans.

Long-term variation in influenza A virus prevalence and subtype diversity in migratory mallards in northern Europe

“…At the onset of spring (weeks 10-12), most birds were trapped for the first time, but the proportion of newly ringed individuals decreased with the progress of spring. During the breeding season (weeks [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30], when relatively few birds were captured, the proportion of new birds was large, probably reflecting recruitment in the local population. The proportion of newly ringed individuals during autumn migration had a bimodal shape, with an initial influx of birds in August (weeks [31][32][33][34], and a secondary, larger influx in October-November (weeks 40-44, figure 1a).…”

“…The regularity in these events also impacts host-pathogen interactions [28] and has consequences for spatial-temporal variations in incidence and prevalence of pathogens. Consequently, it is essential to determine factors and processes in the ecology of the host species that may influence pathogen perpetuation [29][30][31]. The main reservoir hosts for IAV in the Northern Hemisphere are waterfowl, gulls and shorebirds, of which most species are migratory and hence should induce spatial and temporal variation in IAV transmission and persistence factors.…”

Salmonella enterica: una revisión de la trilogía agente, hospedero y ambiente, y su trascendencia en Chile

“…De ellos, el grupo con un mayor número de evidencias como portadores de S. enterica son las aves, debido a que estos animales han recibido el interés de los organismos sanitarios por su capacidad para difundir patógenos zoonóticos altamente transmisibles 58,59 . Su papel como reservorios es crucial debido a eventos de migración periódicos que caracterizan algunas de estas especies, con la potencialidad para adquirir y transmitir patógenos sobre extensas zonas geográficas, en breves períodos de tiempo e interactuando con múltiples especies animales a lo largo de sus rutas migratorias o en su lugares de destino 59 .…”

Avioserpens in the Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis): A new Host and Geographic Record for a Dracunculoid Nematode and Implications of Migration and Climate Change

“…Weather patterns influence migration patterns and assist dispersal of parasites into new geographic areas new hosts; they also affect vector, pathogen, and host-reservoir ecology, range limits, and even emergence and re-emergence of pathogens (Fuller et al 2012). Wildlife veterinarians should be alert to finding and documenting rare, exotic, possibly zoonotic parasites and diseases from migratory vagrants.…”

“…Migrating birds are a factor in emerging diseases arising from climate change (Fuller et al 2012;Van Hemert et al 2014). The introduction of new parasites in a new geographic range and host could affect the poultry industry and human health (Coker et al 2011).…”