Wildlife

Question 1

Avian influenza general

Answer 1

• Orthomyxoviridae
• classified acording to surface protein (hemmagglutinin (H) or neuraminidase (N)
• Highly patogenic:
  
  • mortality as high as 100%, acute, subtipes H5 and H7
  • has caused mortality in humans, ferrets, cats, dogs, martens, leopards, tigers
• Low patogenic: all other strains:
  
  • mild, primary respiratory, loss egg production
  • may mutate to HP
  • fecal-oral route
• Aquatic avian species are natural reservoir
  
  • mainly anseriformes and charadriiformes (shorebirds, gulls, terns)