Identification of Avian Influenza Epidemiological Risk Factors of Wild Birds in Mexico.
To identify epidemiological risk factors between poultry and synantropic birds (wild birds living close to humans and farms), ARS researchers at Athens, Georgia, conducted field studies in collaboration with a team of Mexican scientist from SENASICA-DGSA Mexico.
To identify epidemiological risk factors between poultry and synantropic birds (wild birds living close to humans and farms), ARS researchers at Athens, Georgia, conducted field studies in collaboration with a team of Mexican scientist from SENASICA-DGSA Mexico, the Asociación de Avicultores de Tepatitlán, Jalisco, and the Department Avian Medicine from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. These studies evaluated the risk that synantropic birds bring to the poultry farms in a highly densely productive area. The Altos de Jalisco region in west central Mexico is the location of the largest concentration of poultry farms and has witnessed the emergence of low pathogenic H5N2 and the highly pathogenic H7N3 influenza viruses recently. The survey identified 82 species of wild birds some which were linked to poultry farms using a network-theory model. The highest ranked species corresponded to the Mexican Great-tailed Grackle and the Barn Swallow; making those potential hosts for disease transmission of pathogens in the wild bird-poultry interface in the region of Jalisco. The ability to demonstrate epidemiological connections between wildlife and poultry is important to understand the risk to the poultry industry from wild birds. Because of the proximity with the US, these Mexican regions present a high risk of introduction through trade, wild birds and illegal transport of birds and are important to the US poultry industry .
Valdez-Gomez, H., Navarro-Lopez, R., Vazques-Mendoza, L., Zalapa-Hernandez, M., Guerrero-Hernandex, I., Fonseca-Delgado, V., Marquez-Ruiz, M., Afonso, C.L. 2017. Risk factors for the transmission of infectious diseases agents at the wild birds-commercial birds interface. A pilot study in the region of the Altos de Jalisco, Mexico.. BULLETIN DE L’ACADEMIE VETERINAIRE DE FRANCE.170(2):143-150. http://documents.irevues.inist.fr/bitstream/handle/2042/62332/10_valdez.pdf?sequence=3