Wild birds - Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, and Mongolia
Martin Gilbert, MRCVS, BVMS
Principal Investigator
Wildlife Veterinarian, Global Health Program
Wildlife Conservation Society
- Aims: Identify wild bird species key to the ecology and transmission of avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in southeast and central Asia; use serologic testing to identify prior exposure to influenza viruses and enable better targeting of relevant avian taxa for AIV detection and viral isolation; characterize subtypes and genetic sequences of AIVs circulating among these wild birds; identify key environmental and anthropogenic factors that influence the dynamics of AIV transmission and evolution in the region; evaluate the role of wild birds in the dispersal of highly pathogenic AIVs
- Approach: Collect and analyze samples from migratory waterbirds in:
- Mongolia, where two major migratory bird routes intersect and where AIVs, including high-pathogenic AIVs, exchange and circulate
- Indochina (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Lao PDR), where a wide diversity of taxa can be sampled, including wetland-dependent and understudied species, wild birds in close proximity to domestic poultry and ducks, and wild/trade birds sold for food, as pets, and for use in spiritual ceremonies