Eradication of common mynas Acridotheres tristis from Denis Island, Seychelles.

BACKGROUND: In Seychelles, the common myna has been shown to have a negative impact on endangered endemic birds on Denis Island, interfering with breeding attempts and attacking adult endemic birds at their nests. This stimulated an attempt to eradicate the island's mynas. RESULTS: The eradication was undertaken in three phases, overall killing 1186 mynas and lasting 5 years. Decoy trapping was the most effective method for catching mynas, but the last birds were shot. Decoy trapping was compromised by catches of non-target species. Data collection from killed birds indicated that trapping did not favour either sex, and that most breeding occurred during the wetter season, November to March. CONCLUSIONS: Eradication of mynas from small tropical islands is feasible. The Denis Island eradication was prolonged by difficulties in management and staffing. Using volunteers, the cost of the eradication was similar to that of eradicating rodents from the island. In future eradication attempts in Seychelles, possible food stress during the drier season (May to September) might facilitate trapping at this time. Habitat management, especially the removal of short mown grass, could enhance eradication progress. Continued monitoring is needed to confirm eradication and detect any immigration, and also to record responses in the endemic birds. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Persistence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in natural ecosystems.

Understanding of ecologic factors favoring emergence and maintenance of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses is limited. Although low pathogenic avian influenza viruses persist and evolve in wild populations, HPAI viruses evolve in domestic birds and cause economically serious epizootics that only occasionally infect wild populations. We propose that evolutionary ecology considerations can explain this apparent paradox. Host structure and transmission possibilities differ considerably between wild and domestic birds and are likely to be major determinants of virulence. Because viral fitness is highly dependent on host survival and dispersal in nature, virulent forms are unlikely to persist in wild populations if they kill hosts quickly or affect predation risk or migratory performance. Interhost transmission in water has evolved in low pathogenic influenza viruses in wild waterfowl populations. However, oropharyngeal shedding and transmission by aerosols appear more efficient for HPAI viruses among domestic birds.

Role of wild birds in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 and implications for global surveillance.

This paper reviews outbreaks of Asian-lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 in wild birds since June 2006, surveillance strategies, and research on virus epidemiology in wild birds to summarize advances in understanding the role of wild birds in the spread of HPAIV H5N1 and the risk that infected wild birds pose for the poultry industry and for public health. Surveillance of apparently healthy wild birds ("active" surveillance) has not provided early warning of likely infection for the poultry industry, whereas searches for and reports of dead birds ("passive" surveillance) have provided evidence of environmental presence of the virus, but not necessarily its source. Most outbreaks in wild birds have occurred during periods when they are experiencing environmental, physiologic, and possibly psychological stress, including adverse winter weather and molt, but not, apparently, long-distance migration. Examination of carcasses of infected birds and experimental challenge with strains of HPAIV H5N1 have provided insight into the course of infection, the extent of virus shedding, and the relative importance of cloacal vs. oropharyngeal excretion. Satellite telemetry of migrating birds is now providing data on the routes taken by individual birds, their speed of migration, and the duration of stopovers. It is still not clear how virus shedding during the apparently clinically silent phase of infection relates to the distance travelled by infected birds. Mounting an immune response and undertaking strenuous exercise associated with long migratory flights may be competitive. This is an area where further research should be directed in order to discover whether wild birds infected with HPAIV H5N1 are able or willing to embark on migration.

The role of wild birds in the spread of HPAI H5N1.

There is much debate about the relative roles of poultry movements and wild bird movements in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1. This article looks at the problem from an ornithologic perspective. Outbreaks in wild birds are examined in relation to three scenarios of possible wild bird involvement in virus transmission. These scenarios are examined separately for five phases of the outbreak that began in 1997 and which has recently become more dynamic in terms of virus spread. Most outbreaks in wild birds seem to reflect local acquisition of infection from a contaminated source, followed by rapid death nearby. Outbreaks in Europe in early 2006 indicate that the virus can be spread further by wild birds and thus that they can become infected and travel varying distances before dying, and probably passing the infection to other wild birds before death. There is only limited evidence that some wild birds can carry the virus asymptomatically, and no evidence from wild bird outbreaks that they have done so over long distances on seasonal migration routes. Other potential sources of infection and evidence for asymptomatic infection in wild birds are discussed, and the need for more ornithologic input into epidemiological studies of HPAI H5N1 is highlighted.

Asymptomatic infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in wild birds: how sound is the evidence?

BACKGROUND: Widespread deaths of wild birds from which highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 has been isolated suggest that the virus continues to be lethal to them. However, asymptomatic carriage by some wild birds could allow birds to spread the virus on migration. Confirmation of such carriage is therefore important for the design of mitigation measures for the disease in poultry. DISCUSSION: Two recent papers have reported the isolation of H5N1 from a small number of water birds in China and Russia and have concluded that wild birds can spread the viruses over long distances on migration. However, both papers contain weaknesses in the provision of ornithological and associated data that compromise conclusions that can be reached about the role of wild birds in the spread of H5N1. We describe the weaknesses of these studies and highlight the need for improved methodological description and methodology, where appropriate, and further research. SUMMARY: A rigorous assessment of whether wild birds can carry H5N1 asymptomatically is critical to evaluating the risks of spread by migratory birds on long-distance migration.