Abstract Title
Environmental monitoring for avian influenza viruses in Aotearoa New Zealand
Abstract
The island country of Aotearoa New Zealand lies at the southeastern extremity of the East Asian – Australasian migratory bird flyway and is visited by three main Northern Hemisphere migratory shorebird species each year. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has not yet been recorded in Aotearoa New Zealand; however, with the growing threat of its intercontinental spread, including to mainland Antarctica, we need to improve our active surveillance. Environmental sampling technologies offer ways to do this without the need for handling animals. We are reviewing and testing established environmental sampling methods, including longitudinal in situ sampling of various environmental samples (water, faeces, sediment, and passive filters), to determine an appropriate method for the surveillance of avian influenza viruses across Aotearoa New Zealand. In addition, we are developing two new assays using SHERLOCK CRISPR-Cas and padlock probe rolling circle amplification (PLRCA) technologies for HPAI surveillance. Aotearoa New Zealand has many endemic and endangered bird species such as the only flightless parrot (kākāpō) and one of the world’s most endangered penguins (yellow-eyed penguin). The introduction of HPAI will likely be detrimental to these and other species. The information we collect is vital for the management of newly emerged subtypes of HPAI, acting as an early warning system to spot the virus when it arrives.
Co-Author(s)
Allison K. Miller, Stephanie Waller, Eddy Dowle, Lia Heremia, Jordan Taylor, Vinko Besic, Benjamin Duran Vinet, Jackson Treece, Jo-Ann Stanton, Neil Gemmell, David Winter, and Jemma Geoghegan
Abstract Category
Notable outbreaks, field and molecular epidemiology, and surveillance in wild birds