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Corvidae feather pulp and West Nile virus detection.
Douglas E Docherty1, Renee Romaine Long, Kathryn M Griffin
1Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survery, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, Wisconsin 53711, USA. doug_docherty@usgs.gov
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|June 18, 2004
Summary
Feather pulp is the most effective sample for detecting West Nile virus (WNV) in corvids. Kidney and spleen pools were also viable, while cloacal swabs showed lower WNV detection rates in dead birds.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Virology
- Wildlife Disease Ecology
Background:
- West Nile virus (WNV) poses a significant threat to avian populations, particularly members of the family Corvidae.
- Accurate and efficient diagnostic methods are crucial for monitoring WNV prevalence in wild bird populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of different sample types for WNV detection in deceased corvids.
- To identify optimal sampling strategies for WNV surveillance in avian carcasses.
Main Methods:
- Evaluation of cloacal swabs, kidney and spleen pool samples, and vascular pulp from flight feathers.
- Detection of WNV RNA in samples from dead corvids.
Main Results:
- West Nile virus (WNV) was detected in 38% of cloacal swabs, 43% of kidney and spleen pools, and 77% of feather pulp samples.
- Feather pulp yielded the highest WNV detection rate among the tested sample types.
Conclusions:
- Vascular pulp of flight feathers is a highly sensitive sample type for WNV detection in corvid carcasses.
- Feather pulp sampling should be considered for enhanced WNV surveillance programs in wild birds.