Surveillance of avian influenza through bird guano in remote regions of the global south to uncover transmission dynamics

作者：Dhammika Leshan Wannigama, Mohan Amarasiri, Phatthranit Phattharapornjaroen, Cameron Paul Hurst, Charin Modchang, John Jefferson V. Besa, Kazuhiko Miyanaga, Longzhu Cui, Stefan Fernandez, Angkana T. Huang, Puey Ounjai, W. K. C. P. Werawatte, Ali Hosseini Rad S.M., Porames Vatanaprasan, Dylan John Jay, Thammakorn Saethang, Sirirat Luk-in, Phitsanuruk Kanthawee, Wanwara Thuptimdang, Ratana Tacharoenmuang, Bernadina Cynthia, Sarath Vitharana, Natharin Ngamwongsatit, Hitoshi Ishikawa, Takashi Furukawa, Yangzhong Wang, Andrew C. Singer, Naveen Kumar Devanga Ragupathi, Tanittha Chatsuwan, Kazunari Sei, Asuka Nanbo, Asada Leelahavanichkul, Talerngsak Kanjanabuch, Hiroshi Hamamoto, Paul G. Higgins, Daisuke Sano, Anthony Kicic, José O. Valdebenito, Jonas Bonnedahl, Sam A. Trowsdale, Parichart Hongsing, Aisha N. Khatib, Kenji Shibuya, Shuichi Abe · 发表于：Nature Communications · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1038/s41467-025-59322-z · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Influenza Virus Research Studies、Animal Disease Management and Epidemiology、Viral Infections and Vectors

Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) pose a growing global health threat, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where limited surveillance capacity and under-resourced healthcare systems hinder timely detection and response. Migratory birds play a significant role in the transboundary spread of AIVs, yet data from key regions along migratory flyways remain sparse. To address these surveillance gaps, we conducted a study between December 2021 and February 2023 using fresh bird guano collected across 10 countries in the Global South. Here, we show that remote, uninhabited regions in previously unsampled areas harbor a high diversity of AIV strains, with H5N1 emerging as the most prevalent. Some of these H5N1 samples also carry mutations that may make them less responsive to the antiviral drug oseltamivir. Our findings documented the presence of AIVs in several underrepresented regions and highlighted critical transmission hotspots where viral evolution may be accelerating. These results underscore the urgent need for geographically targeted surveillance to detect emerging variants, inform public health interventions, and reduce the risk of zoonotic spillover. Highly pathogenic avian influenza is an increasing global concern but its distribution in remote regions is not known. Here, the authors conduct an environmental influenza surveillance study in remote, uninhabited regions of the Global South by sampling fresh bird guano.