Consecutive Surveillance on the Possible Re – emergence of Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in Thailand

Consecutive Surveillance on the Possible Re – emergence of Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in Thailand

Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University

Title :

Consecutive Surveillance on the Possible Re – emergence of Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in Thailand

Researcher :

Miss Kanaporn Poltep

During 2004 – 2008, Thailand had faced the large outbreaks of avian influenza H5N1 causing deaths of humans and animals. During epidemics, economic losses in the poultry industry had been significantly evidenced. The virus was also detected in wild birds especially openbill storks. Many of these birds died during the outbreaks. Although the virus has never been detected recently, the Monitoring and Surveillance Center for Zoonotic Diseases in Wildlife and Exotic Animals, an FAO reference center for Zoonotic and Wildlife Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University still keeps watching the possibility the avian influenza re-emergence in wild birds. In this study, we chose Nakhon Sawan, a province with large wetlands dwelling a lot of wild birds, as our study site. We serologically detected antibodies to avian influenza virus (AIV) H5 by using the hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay and microneutralization (MN) assay. A total of 753 serum samples, representing 10 orders and 44 species of wild birds had been collected from 2007 to 2014. Ten turned positive to the tests including samples from open-billed stork and lesser whistling duck, two common AIV reservoir waterfowl species. The virus was also identified in streak-eared bulbuls that shared habitats with the waterfowl as well as ducks. Therefore, an ongoing surveillance of the virus, which is important in terms of public health, should be continued in the outbreak areas, in order to update the AIV H5N1 infectious status in wild birds in Thailand.

Publishing : Poltep, K., Ketchim, N., Paungpin, W., Prompiram, P., Sedwisai, P., Chamsai, T., Puthavathana, P. and Ratanakorn, P. (2018). A LONG – TERM SEROSURVEY OF AVIAN INFLUENZA H5 AMONG WILD BIRDS IN NAKHON SAWAN PROVINCE, THAILAND. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 49 (2), 464 – 469.

Key Contact Person :
Miss Kanaporn Poltep
Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University