Recovering influenza virus genomes from wild bird habitats for better avian flu surveillance

Kevin Kuchinski Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) cause severe disease in poultry and humans, leading to costly outbreaks in commercial flocks, dangerous zoonotic infections in farm workers, and the potential for disastrous global pandemics involving novel flu viruses. Consequently, surveillance of AIVs in wild birds (the source of these viruses) is a cornerstone of pandemic preparedness and disease prevention in humans and livestock. We have developed a method for recovering and sequencing influenza genomes in sediment collected from wetlands habitats. This provides a novel tool for AIV surveillance in the local wild bird community.

BC CDC Presenters

10/24/2019 5:05:00 PM