Abstract Title
Dispersion of mallard feces and implications for avian influenza transmission in aquatic systems
Abstract
Transmission of avian origin influenza A viruses (IAVs) is purportedly primarily through a fecal-oral route within aquatic systems, where hosts become infected via a shared contaminated water source. However, limited information is available on the mechanisms governing viral transport within aquatic environments following fecal deposition by infected hosts. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a study on the dispersion of bird fecal particles in an experimental water column without background flow or turbulence. This study serves as an initial step toward understanding IAV transport within aquatic environments and the environmentally mediated transmission of the virus. During the experiment, we observed the fragmentation of fecal particles and measured their settling velocity as a function of particle diameter. Using this experimental data, we developed a particle dispersion model to simulate their movement in various aquatic environments. We demonstrate the model’s application under wind-driven flow conditions using environmental data for two locations in the United States of America: one in Bemidji, Minnesota, and the other in Cold Bay, Alaska. These sites were chosen because they are locations where wild birds have been routinely sampled for avian influenza for over a decade. The combined experimental and modeling approach provides a valuable tool for understanding how virus-laden fecal particles may be transported within aquatic systems. The results from this study can inform resource managers in developing more effective sampling and surveillance strategies.
Co-Author(s)
Binbin Wang, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Water Center, Columbia, Missouri, USA
Amir Erfan Zareei Shams Abadi, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
Ruichen Xu, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
Xiu-Feng Wan, Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA; Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA; Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
Andrew M. Ramey, U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska, USA
Abstract Category
Mortality estimations, impacts on harvest, conservation considerations, and potential mitigation strategies in wild birds