Influenza viruses from wild birds in Newfoundland and Labrador in the context of global influenza dynamics

Abstract

The primary hosts for avian influenza A viruses (AIV) are waterfowl and shorebirds, although other groups such as seabirds and gulls also serve as hosts. Newfoundland is an important breeding area for boreal and subarctic birds, and a wintering location for some high-latitude North American, and Eurasian species. I gathered 2873 samples from seabirds, gulls and waterfowl in Newfoundland and Labrador during 2008-2010. The overall detection rate of AIV in these birds was low, but viruses were identified in Common Murre (Uria aalgae), Thick-billed Murre (U. lomvia), American Black Duck (Anas rubrpies), Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus), and other unknown gull species. An AIV isolated from a Great Black-backed Gull in 2008 had segments with a mosaic pattern of geographical origins, indicating transatlantic transmission of AIV between Newfoundland and Europe. These findings, as well as analyses of six viruses sequenced from gulls in Alaska and all gull AIV sequences available in public databases, suggest that large gulls may play an important role in AIV dynamics, especially in the context of global movements.