Virus Shedding and Potential for Interspecies Waterborne Transmission of Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Influenza Virus in Sparrows and Chickens

• DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02017-09
• Publication Date: 2010-01-21T02:09:21Z
• Authors: Heather L. Forrest; Jeong-Ki Kim; Robert G. Webster
• Keywords: Cloaca; Viral Shedding; Highly pathogenic

To elucidate the role of sparrows as intermediate hosts highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 viruses, we assessed shedding and interspecies waterborne transmission A/duck/Laos/25/06 in chickens. Inoculated birds shed virus at high titers from oropharynx cloaca, infection was fatal. Waterborne inoculated to contact chickens absent, while 25% were infected via The viral susceptibility observed sparrows, coupled with their presence poultry houses, could facilitate spread among wild face an outbreak.