Canada's inter‐agency wild bird influenza survey

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Abstract
Canada's Inter‐agency Wild Bird Influenza Survey, which started in 2005, and is a collaborative effort among federal, provincial and territorial government agencies as well as non‐governmental organizations and academic institutions, has two components: (i) a seasonal survey of live wild waterfowl species from selected geographic regions across Canada (to expand our understanding of the avian influenza viruses circulating in wild bird populations); and (ii) an ongoing survey of birds found dead that are submitted to a regional diagnostic laboratory (to enhance detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza strains). Combined swabs from the cloaca and oropharynx collected from each bird are screened using a real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RRT‐PCR) that targets a unique segment of the influenza A M1 gene. If the M1 result is positive or inconclusive, RRT‐PCR for gene segments of the H5 and H7 hemagglutinin subtypes are performed. All samples that are RRT‐PCR positive for H5 or H7 are sent immediately for test confirmation and further characterization. All field and laboratory data are entered into a database developed and maintained by the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre. Since the survey commenced in 2005, on average, 30% of all live ducks sampled, 5% of other species of live birds and 3% of birds found dead have tested positive for avian influenza, all of North American lineage and of low pathogenicity.