Flu:Trailmap "Transmission and risk of avian influenza: learning more to advance preparedness"
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: School of Veterinary Medicine and Sci
Abstract
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Technical Summary
Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (clade 2.3.4.4) are having a significant impact on the poultry industry and wild bird populations across the UK and globally. They have also been associated with mammalian infection and potential zoonotic risk. In this project we will build on the success of FluMap to better understand these viruses and their impacts. Work Package 1 (WP1) will investigate features that impact biosecurity through the lens of farm businesses' and farm workers' perceptions, practices and financial capacity to implement biosecurity and in-depth analysis of the enabling environment. In WP2 viral phylodynamic models will be used to evaluate possible future trajectories of H5Nx in the UK. Outbreak investigation data will be used to populate models to to assess the effectiveness of current and alternative control measures including biosecurity and vaccination. Existing wild bird data will be augmented by WP3 to inform models of cross-species interactions. WP3 will use active methods to detect and map novel HPAIV strains and will generate critical ecological field data in support of other WPs. Samples from killed and found-dead wild birds and mammals and live-sampled passerines will be typed. Viral persistence will be measured in the environment. Avian community structure and behaviour on farms and the surrounding landscape will be measured. WP4 will assess virological factors critical to viral fitness and emergence and link them to differential disease outcomes. Both viral infectivity and factors that dictate infection of different species will be assessed. Finally, WP5 will assess the role of host factors, including immunity, in governing susceptibility, outcome, epidemiology, and virus evolution. Implications of vaccination will also be assessed to help inform future mitigation strategies. Together these WPs will synergise to help understand the Transmission and Risk of Avian Influenza and Learn More to Advance Preparedness (FLU: TRAILMAP).
| Description | We are characterising the underlying mechanism of the cells' commitment to cell death following influenza virus infection and the differences between chickens and ducks. We have identified key differences in the response of chickens and ducks. This ongoing research gives greater insight into the different disease outcomes across avian species to the same virus infection. We have identified host genes which may be responsible for the differing immune responses to low pathogenic avian influenza viruses and high path avian influenza viruses in chickens (work ongoing). |
| Exploitation Route | Identifying key genes associated with poor disease outcomes in commercial birds may allow for selective breeding to promote innate virus resistance. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
| Description | Collaboration with the APHA to evaluate in vitro/in ovo infection models and species specific responses to virus infection |
| Organisation | Animal and Plant Health Agency |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | UoN designed the in vitro infection model to characterise past and emerging influenza viruses across avian species (duck and chicken), we conducted the initial experiments using low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAI) as a basis of comparison for the high pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAI). In order to compare host specific responses to HPAI or LPAI infection in chicken and duck cells, UoN undertook next-generation sequencing to compare the transcriptome and identify host factors/processes which may account for differences in disease outcomes across species. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The APHA provided the facilities and technical support in generating samples using highly pathogenic avian influenza virus strains which were passed on to UoN for further processing. |
| Impact | The data generated from this collaboration will contribute to a publication evaluating the application of an in ovo model to characterise emerging viruses (undergoing internal review) and a paper examining species specific differences in commitment to apoptosis (work ongoing). Data collected as a result of this collaboration was presented at the UK-China Avian Flu Control Workshop and Flu-Trail Map Workshop. |
| Start Year | 2022 |