OAHN Poultry Project: Serological and molecular surveillance for aMPV in wild birds (in progress)

Project Lead: Dr. Claire Jardine

Collaborators:  Christopher Sharp, Dr. Davor Ojkic

Project Proposal

Currently, Ontario has experienced 53 detections of aMPV type A and B in turkeys, broilers and layers. The USA is also experiencing high numbers of detection across the country with at least 1,200 cases of aMPV type A and B. Although aMPV C has been detected in migratory waterfowl in Ontario there have been no previous studies looking at the occurrence of genotypes A and B in wild birds.

Active surveillance in wild birds is important for producers to know if wild birds are a reservoir for this virus, specifically AMPV genotypes type A and B that were detected in domestic poultry in the past 6 months.

The information collected with this study can be used to inform producers and veterinarians and further support current and on-going enhanced biosecurity measures that are in place to control and prevent spreading of HPAI but also contributes to reduce the risk of other pathogens exchanged between domestic and wild birds.

The main objective is to determine if aMPV (specifically, genotypes A and B) occur in wild birds in Ontario using serological and molecular testing.  The information collected with this study can be used to inform producers and veterinarians and further support current and on-going enhanced biosecurity measures that are in place to control and prevent spreading of HPAI but also contributes to reduce the risk of other pathogens exchanged between domestic and wild birds.

1. Jardine CM, Parmley EJ, Buchanan T, Nituch L, Ojkic D. Avian metapneumovirus subtype C in Wild Waterfowl in Ontario, Canada. Transbound Emerg Dis. 2018;65(4):1098-1102. doi:10.1111/tbed.12832

2. Hartmann S, Sid H, Rautenschlein S. Avian metapneumovirus infection of chicken and turkey tracheal organ cultures: comparison of virus-host interactions. Avian Pathol. 2015;44(6):480-489. doi:10.1080/03079457.2015.1086974