Skip to main content

#Zoonotic and #Avian #Pathogen Detections in Fecal and Sediment #Samples - A Low-risk, High-throughput One Health Approach to #Surveillance

Image
By G.M.

 


Abstract

Many pathogens, both those with human spillover potential as well as avian-specific viruses, are maintained in wild bird populations. While much surveillance for influenza A viruses (IAVs) is performed annually, surveillance for other pathogens is limited. Sampling of wild birds is often time-consuming, labour-intensive, involves physically handling wild birds, often limited in sample size, and involves handling of potentially infected birds, posing an increased risk of direct exposure for personnel. Given this, additional methods for surveillance are needed. Longitudinal, bi-weekly fecal and sediment sampling was performed at various sites in southern Manitoba, Canada, particularly focused in Winnipeg from May - October 2025. Sites were chosen based on the suitability of the area for waterfowl habitat, the presence of waterfowl in the area, as well as sites in proximity to reported outbreaks of H5N1 influenza virus. Fecal and sediment samples were collected and screened for the presence of influenza A virus (IAV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), avian reovirus (ARV), and avian poxvirus (APXV). In total, 782 combined fecal and sediment samples were collected. Of the 714 fecal samples, 34 tested positive for IAV (4.8% prevalence). None of the IAV-positive fecal samples tested positive for H5 RNA. Of the 68 sediments tested, 15 tested positive for IAV (22.1% prevalence), four of which further tested positive for H5 RNA. NDV positivity was low, with only four positive fecal samples (0.56% prevalence) that were all collected on the same day. ARV positivity was also low, with five positive sediment samples (7.4% prevalence in sediment samples). Of the 782 total samples collected, of 559 samples that have been tested for APXV to date, all have tested negative. This work expands upon previous work showing the utility of environmental sampling for a variety of avian and zoonotic pathogens using a One Health approach that is both high-throughput and low-risk.


Competing Interest Statement

The authors have declared no competing interest.


Funder Information Declared

Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Tier 2 Canada Research Chair, 950 231498

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, RGPIN-2018-06036

Source: 


Link: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.19.694637v1

____

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

#Neuroinvasive #Oropouche virus in a patient with #HIV from extra-Amazonian #Brazil

By G.M.
{Excerpt} A novel reassortant Oropouche virus (OROV) lineage (with medium [M], large [L], and small [S] RNA segments : M1L2S2) has driven Brazil's largest and most geographically widespread OROV epidemic , expanding beyond the endemic Amazon basin to establish local transmission across multiple Brazilian states and other previously unaffected Latin American countries . The rapid spread of this lineage underscores its evolutionary potential and reinforces its significance as a public health threat .1 Similar to chikungunya and Zika viruses, expanding arboviruses can exhibit unexpected clinical and epidemiological shifts , including vertical transmissions , neuroinvasive effects, and potentially fatal outcomes.2–4 Although OROV typically causes self-limited febrile illness, accumulating clinical and experimental evidence suggests neurotropic potential .5 This Correspondence describes the first confirmed case of neuroinvasive OROV infection caused by the emergent M1L2S2 lineage in ext...
Post a Comment
Read more »

No evidence of immune #exhaustion after repeated #SARS-CoV-2 #vaccination in vulnerable and healthy populations

By G.M.
Abstract Frequent SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in vulnerable populations has raised concerns that this may contribute to T cell exhaustion , which could negatively affect the quality of immune protection. Herein, we examined the impact of repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on T cell phenotypic and functional exhaustion in frail older adults in long-term care (n = 23), individuals on immunosuppressive drugs (n = 10), and healthy adults (n = 43), in Canada . Spike-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell levels did not decline in any cohort following repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, nor did the expression of exhaustion markers on spike-specific or total T cells increase. T cell production of multiple cytokines (i.e. polyfunctionality) in response to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 did not decline in any cohort following repeated vaccination. None of the cohorts displayed elevated levels of terminally differentiated T cells following multiple SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations. Thus, repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination was...
Post a Comment
Read more »

Chimeric #hemagglutinin and #M2 #mRNA #vaccine for broad #influenza subtype protection

By G.M.
Abstract Since multiple and unpredicted influenza viruses cause seasonal epidemics and even high-risk pandemics , developing a universal influenza vaccine is essential to provide broad protection against various influenza subtypes. Combined with the mRNA lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated (mRNA-LNP) vaccine platform and chimeric immunogen strategy , we developed a novel cocktail mRNA vaccine encoding chimeric HAs (cH5/1-BV, cH7/3) and intact M2 (termed Fluaxe), which confers broad protection against major circulating IAVs and IBVs , as well as highly pathogenic avian influenza . Two-dose intramuscular immunization of Fluaxe in mice elicited cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies , T cell responses, and long-lived immunity, resulting in robust protection against multiple lethal influenza virus infections and severe acute lung injuries . In particular, intramuscular administration stimulated systemic immunity together with a prominent lung tropism of memory cells . Moreover, Fluaxe immuniza...
Post a Comment
Read more »