Abstract:
The current information on viruses found in Finnish wild birds that could pose a risk to poultry is scarce. However, many viruses found in wild birds are known to have the ability to cause disease also in poultry. In addition to the disease prevention measures in farms and controlling imports, virus surveillance of wild birds is an important part of keeping poultry free from disease. Despite effective disease prevention, the number of outbreaks of disease in poultry caused by viruses has been increasing in recent years in Finland; new viruses may be arriving in Finland due to uncontrolled imports. The results of the project can be used to inform producers of the risks posed by virus-carrying wild birds and uncontrolled imports, and producers can step up their disease prevention, if necessary.
Aims:
The main objective of the study was to identify the viral load of wild birds and the potential risk to poultry farms and fowl kept for non-commercial purposes, and to characterise virus strains in wild birds and poultry. The aim was to also to develop methods for use in the diagnosis of viral diseases in birds.
Results:
During the project, faecal and swab samples were collected from wild birds near poultry farms located in Southwestern Finland by experienced bird ringers between 2015 and 2016. Samples were taken from several different bird species. In addition to these samples, between 2015 and 2017 approximately 1,500 organ, faecal and swab samples from numerous wild bird species obtained from various sources around Finland were studied using molecular biological methods.
On the basis of the results, coronaviruses appear to be common in wild birds; they were found in the enclosed areas of poultry farms as well as elsewhere in the environment. In some places, a high incidence of coronaviruses was found especially in jackdaws, cormorants and ducks. Coronaviruses in these wild birds differ, however, from the IB coronavirus in poultry, which has been found in Finland, too, in recent years. A large number of low pathogenic, avian influenza viruses belonging to various subtypes (H3, H12, H4) were found in ducts at one sample collection site in Central Finland. In addition, a number of individual paramyxovirus findings were made in mallard ducks and cormorants.
In general, poultry farms in Finland are well protected. There are only a few birds in enclosed areas and the risk of viral infections is consequently low. The importation of poultry is adequately controlled, and during the study there were no suspected cases of viral disease associated with imports of poultry. On the other hand, there is less information available on fowl kept for non-commercial purposes, and the situation there may be more precarious.
The project also developed new methods to improve the diagnosis of viruses in poultry, and analysed viruses that caused previous disease outbreaks in poultry.
Keywords:
wild birds, viral diseases, poultry, imports
Responsible project leader:
Huovilainen, Anita, Senior Researcher, Ph.D., Evira, Veterinary Virology Research Unit
Person at Evira responsible for the project:
Huovilainen, Anita, Senior Researcher, Ph.D., Veterinary Virology Research Unit
In cooperation with:
University of Helsinki;
HKScan Finland Oy;
Finnish Museum of Natural History Luomus
Project status:
Previous
Year of commencement:
2015
Year of completion:
2018
Publications:
Pohjola L, Tammiranta N, Ek-Kommonen C, Soveri T, Hänninen ML, Fredriksson-Ahomaa M, Huovilainen A. A Survey For Selected Avian Viral Pathogens In Backyard Chicken Farms In Finland. Avian Pathol. 2017 Apr;46(2):166-172
Lindh, E., Ek-Kommonen, C., Isomursu, M., Alasaari, J., Vaheri, A., Vapalahti, O., Huovilainen, A. Genetic characterization of H13 and H16 Influenza A viruses in gulls (Laris spp.) with clinically severe disease and concurrent circovirus infection. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 2017: Vol. 53, No. 3.
Hepojoki S, Lindh E, Vapalahti O, Huovilainen A. Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Coronaviruses in Wild Birds, Northern Europe. Infection Ecology & Epidemiology, 2017: Vol. 7.
Tammiranta N, Ek-KommonenC, Rossow L, Huovilainen A. Circulation of very virulent avian infectious bursal disease virus in Finland. Avian Pathology, lähetetty julkaistavaksi.
Kaukonen E, Tammiranta N, Huovilainen A, Smura T. Detection of a highly divergent avian Avulavirus-3 in turkeys. Käsikirjoitus
Tammiranta N. Luonnonlintujen virukset siipikarjatilojen lähistöllä. Eviran tiedepäivä 13.10.2016 (esitelmä)
Tammiranta N, Huovilainen A. Outbreak of infectious bursal disease (IBD) in Finland in 2014. Global Alliance for Research on Avian Diseases Conference 2015, 29.6.-1.7.2015, Lontoo, UK. (posteri)
Väitöskirja Leena Pohjola
Backyard poultry flocks in Finland – an infection risk for commercial poultry and humans? Helsingin yliopisto, eläinlääketieteellinen tiedekunta, 2017
Opinnäytetyö Essi Kuitunen
Pan-paramyksovirus RT-PCR:n pystytys ja käyttö linnuista peräisin olevissa näytteissä. Metropolia ammattikorkeakoulu 2015
Smura T. Exploring viral diversity – Metagenomic approach for virus detection and characterization, Virology Days 8.-9. March 2018, Gustavelund, Tuusula (esitelmä).
Project financed by:
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Agriculture and Forestry Development Fund (Ref. 1771/312/2014);
Evira
Evira project code:
4080Y-000031