Waterfowl - host, agent and environmental factors
Richard D. Slemons, DVM, MS, PhD
Principal Investigator
Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine
Ohio State University
Aim: Examine selected host, agent, and environmental factors associated with species-related differences in avian influenza virus (AIV) infection among mallards and wood ducks at an established "hotspot" in the Lake Erie region of northern Ohio, where a consistent difference in AIV recovery rates has been noted between these species
Approach: Determine rates of AIV shedding and prevalence of hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) subtypes among the two groups of migratory waterfowl; use solar-powered GPS transmitters to determine the ducks' local flight, feeding, and resting patterns and long-distance migration flight patterns; use three sourcing techniques to determine the general location of the ducks' breeding grounds and predict transmissibility of AIV from ducks to other host species