dc.contributor.author |
Caron, Alexandre
|
|
dc.contributor.author |
De Garine-Wichatitsky, Michel
|
|
dc.contributor.author |
Ndlovu, Mduduzi
|
|
dc.contributor.author |
Cumming, Graeme S.
|
|
dc.date.accessioned |
2013-02-01T10:39:40Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2013-02-01T10:39:40Z |
|
dc.date.issued |
2012-10-26 |
|
dc.description.abstract |
The ecology of pathogens, and particularly their emergence in multi-host systems, is complex. New approaches are
needed to reduce superficial complexities to a level that still allows scientists to analyse underlying and more
fundamental processes. One promising approach for simplification is to use an epidemiological-function
classification to describe ecological diversity in a way that relates directly to pathogen dynamics. In this article, we
develop and apply the epidemiological functional group (EFG) concept to explore the relationships between wild
bird communities and avian influenza virus (AIV) in three ecosystems in southern Africa. Using a two year dataset
that combined bird counts and bimonthly sampling for AIV, we allocated each bird species to a set of EFGs that
captured two overarching epidemiological functions: the capacity of species to maintain AIV in the system, and
their potential to introduce the virus. Comparing AIV prevalence between EFGs suggested that the hypothesis that
anseriforms (ducks) and charadriiforms (waders) drive AIV epidemiology cannot entirely explain the high prevalence
observed in some EFGs. If anseriforms do play an important role in AIV dynamics in each of the three ecosystems,
the role of other species in the local maintenance of AIV cannot be ruled out. The EFG concept thus helped us to
identify gaps in knowledge and to highlight understudied bird groups that might play a role in AIV epidemiology.
In general, the use of EFGs has potential for generating a range of valuable insights in epidemiology, just as
functional group approaches have done in ecology. |
en |
dc.description.librarian |
ab2013 |
en |
dc.description.sponsorship |
This research was funded by a USAIDsponsored
Global Avian Influenza Network for surveillance subcontract from
the Wildlife Conservation Society to GSC, with additional contributions from
the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute. Analyses
by ARCOVI were funded by the South African National Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and by IZSVe, by the Italian Ministry of
Health and a grant from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO). In Zimbabwe we benefited from the “Mesures
d’Urgence” and GRIPAVI projects funded by the French Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and the scientific and logistical support of the Research Platform
Produce and Conserve in Partnership (RP-PCP). |
en |
dc.description.uri |
http://www.veterinaryresearch.org/content/43/1/73 |
en |
dc.identifier.citation |
Caron et al.: Linking avian communities and avian influenza ecology in southern Africa using epidemiological functional groups. Veterinary Research 2012 43:73. |
en |
dc.identifier.issn |
1746-6148 |
|
dc.identifier.other |
10.1186/1297-9716-43-73 |
|
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/20936 |
|
dc.language.iso |
en |
en |
dc.publisher |
BioMed Central |
en |
dc.rights |
© 2012 Caron et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License |
en |
dc.subject |
Southern Africa |
en |
dc.subject |
Epidemiological functional group (EFG) |
en |
dc.subject |
Avian influenza virus (AIV) |
en |
dc.subject |
Wild bird communities |
en |
dc.subject.lcsh |
Avian influenza |
en |
dc.subject.lcsh |
Poultry -- Virus diseases |
en |
dc.subject.lcsh |
Poultry -- Pathogens |
en |
dc.title |
Linking avian communities and avian influenza ecology in southern Africa using epidemiological functional groups |
en |
dc.type |
Article |
en |