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Disentangling the role of Africa in the global spread of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza

Author

Listed:
  • Alice Fusaro

    (Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie)

  • Bianca Zecchin

    (Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie)

  • Bram Vrancken

    (KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute)

  • Celia Abolnik

    (Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria)

  • Rose Ademun

    (National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Center (NADDEC))

  • Abdou Alassane

    (Laboratoire Central de l’Elevage (LABOCEL))

  • Abdelsatar Arafa

    (National Laboratory for Veterinary Quality Control on Poultry Production (NLQP), Animal Health Research Institute)

  • Joseph Adongo Awuni

    (Accra Veterinary Laboratory)

  • Emmanuel Couacy-Hymann

    (Laboratoire Central de Pathologie Animale)

  • M.’ Bétiégué Coulibaly

    (Laboratoire National D’Appui au Développement Agricole)

  • Nicolas Gaidet

    (CIRAD, UPR GREEN)

  • Emilie Go-Maro

    (Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire de Lomé)

  • Tony Joannis

    (National Veterinary Research Institute)

  • Simon Dickmu Jumbo

    (Laboratoire National Vétérinaire (LANAVET))

  • Germaine Minoungou

    (Laboratoire National d’Elevage de Ouagadougou)

  • Clement Meseko

    (National Veterinary Research Institute)

  • Maman Moutari Souley

    (Laboratoire Central de l’Elevage (LABOCEL))

  • Deo Birungi Ndumu

    (National Animal Disease Diagnostics and Epidemiology Center (NADDEC))

  • Ismaila Shittu

    (National Veterinary Research Institute)

  • Augustin Twabela

    (Veterinary Laboratory of Kinshasa)

  • Abel Wade

    (Laboratoire National Vétérinaire (LANAVET))

  • Lidewij Wiersma

    (Laboratory Unit of the Emergency Prevention System (EMPRES), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO))

  • Yao P. Akpeli

    (Laboratoire Central Vétérinaire de Lomé)

  • Gianpiero Zamperin

    (Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie)

  • Adelaide Milani

    (Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie)

  • Philippe Lemey

    (KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute)

  • Isabella Monne

    (Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie)

Abstract

The role of Africa in the dynamics of the global spread of a zoonotic and economically-important virus, such as the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5Nx of the Gs/GD lineage, remains unexplored. Here we characterise the spatiotemporal patterns of virus diffusion during three HPAI H5Nx intercontinental epidemic waves and demonstrate that Africa mainly acted as an ecological sink of the HPAI H5Nx viruses. A joint analysis of host dynamics and continuous spatial diffusion indicates that poultry trade as well as wild bird migrations have contributed to the virus spreading into Africa, with West Africa acting as a crucial hotspot for virus introduction and dissemination into the continent. We demonstrate varying paths of avian influenza incursions into Africa as well as virus spread within Africa over time, which reveal that virus expansion is a complex phenomenon, shaped by an intricate interplay between avian host ecology, virus characteristics and environmental variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Alice Fusaro & Bianca Zecchin & Bram Vrancken & Celia Abolnik & Rose Ademun & Abdou Alassane & Abdelsatar Arafa & Joseph Adongo Awuni & Emmanuel Couacy-Hymann & M.’ Bétiégué Coulibaly & Nicolas Gaidet, 2019. "Disentangling the role of Africa in the global spread of H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-13287-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13287-y
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