Influenza A virus surveillance in wild birds in Northern Europe in 1999 and 2000.
Using reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we have screened more than 8500 wild birds in Northern Europe in 1999 and 2000 for the presence of influenza A virus. Although our primary focus was on ducks, geese, and shorebirds, we have also tested thousands of samples from other bird species. Approximately 1% of our samples were positive for influenza A virus by RT-PCR, and from half of these we were able to isolate influenza A virus in embryonated chicken eggs. A wide variety of isolates was obtained representing hemagglutinin (HA) subtypes 1 through 7, 10, 11, 13, an unidentifiable HA, and neuraminidase (NA) subtypes 1 through 8.
National Influenza Center and Department of Virology, Erasmus University, Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GE Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
R A M
RA
Fouchier
B
B
Olsen
T M
TM
Bestebroer
S
S
Herfst
L
L
van der Kemp
G F
GF
Rimmelzwaan
A D M E
AD
Osterhaus
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001717:Birds / Q000821:virology*; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000821:virology; D004372:Ducks; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005777:Geese; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction