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Urbanization and the dynamics of RNA viruses in Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

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  • Urbanization and the dynamics of RNA viruses in Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

    Infect Genet Evol. 2017 Mar 17. pii: S1567-1348(17)30102-8. doi: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.03.019. [Epub ahead of print]
    Urbanization and the dynamics of RNA viruses in Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos).

    Wille M1, Lindqvist K2, Muradrasoli S3, Olsen B4, J?rhult JD4.
    Author information

    Abstract

    Urbanization is intensifying worldwide, and affects the epidemiology of infectious diseases. However, the effect of urbanization on natural host-pathogen systems remains poorly understood. Urban ducks occupy an interesting niche in that they directly interact with both humans and wild migratory birds, and either directly or indirectly with food production birds. Here we have collected samples from Mallards residing in a pond in central Uppsala, Sweden, from January 2013 to January 2014. This artificial pond is kept ice-free during the winter months, and is a popular location where the ducks are fed, resulting in a resident population of ducks year-round. Nine hundred and seventy seven (977) fecal samples were screened for RNA viruses including: influenza A virus (IAV), avian paramyxovirus 1, avian coronavirus (CoV), and avian astrovirus (AstroV). This intra-annual dataset illustrates that these RNA viruses exhibit similar annual patterns to IAV, suggesting similar ecological factors are at play. Furthermore, in comparison to wild ducks, autumnal prevalence of IAV and CoV are lower in this urban population. In regards to AstroV, we demonstrate that these viruses might be a larger burden to urban ducks than IAV, and should be better assessed to demonstrate the degree to which wild birds contribute to the epidemiology of these viruses. The presence of these relevant viruses in urban Mallards highlights the importance of elucidating the ecology of wildlife pathogens in urban environments, which will become increasingly important for managing disease risks to wildlife, food production animals, and humans.
    Copyright ? 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.


    KEYWORDS:

    Astrovirus; Coronavirus; Disease dynamics; Influenza a virus; Paramyxovirus; Urbanization

    PMID: 28323070 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2017.03.019

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