Wild Bird Migration across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: A Transmission Route for Highly Pathogenic H5N1

作者：Diann J. Prosser, Peng Cui, John Y. Takekawa, Mingjie Tang, Yuansheng Hou, Bridget M. Collins, Baoping Yan, Nichola J. Hill, Tianxian Li, Yong-Dong Li, Fumin Lei, Shan Guo, Zhi Xing, Yubang He, Yuanchun Zhou, David C. Douglas, William M. Perry, Scott H. Newman · 发表于：PLoS ONE · 年份：2011 · DOI：10.1371/journal.pone.0017622 · 被引用次数：142 · 研究领域：Influenza Virus Research Studies、Respiratory viral infections research、interferon and immune responses

BACKGROUND: Qinghai Lake in central China has been at the center of debate on whether wild birds play a role in circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1. In 2005, an unprecedented epizootic at Qinghai Lake killed more than 6000 migratory birds including over 3000 bar-headed geese (Anser indicus). H5N1 subsequently spread to Europe and Africa, and in following years has re-emerged in wild birds along the Central Asia flyway several times. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To better understand the potential involvement of wild birds in the spread of H5N1, we studied the movements of bar-headed geese marked with GPS satellite transmitters at Qinghai Lake in relation to virus outbreaks and disease risk factors. We discovered a previously undocumented migratory pathway between Qinghai Lake and the Lhasa Valley of Tibet where 93% of the 29 marked geese overwintered. From 2003-2009, sixteen outbreaks in poultry or wild birds were confirmed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the majority were located within the migratory pathway of the geese. Spatial and temporal concordance between goose movements and three potential H5N1 virus sources (poultry farms, a captive bar-headed goose facility, and H5N1 outbreak locations) indicated ample opportunities existed for virus spillover and infection of migratory geese on the wintering grounds. Their potential as a vector of H5N1 was supported by rapid migration movements of some geese and genetic relatedness of H5N1 virus isolate...