title: Susceptibility and transmissibility of pigeons to Asian lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1.
abstract: To determine whether or not pigeons are susceptible to infection with Asian lineage highly pathogenic (HP) avian influenza virus (AIV) subtype H5N1 and can serve as a transmission host for H5N1 HPAIV, we experimentally infected 187 young and adult pigeons with five different isolates of H5N1 HPAIV and co-habited some experimentally infected pigeons with susceptible specific pathogen free chickens. Results showed that all infected pigeons remained clinically healthy during the observation period. No gross lesions or histopathological changes were observed in the infected pigeons, and haemagglutination inhibition antibodies were not detected in serum samples of the infected pigeons. Additionally, all chickens placed in contact with AIV H5N1 infected pigeons remained healthy, and no virus or haemagglutination inhibition antibodies were detected in samples from the chickens. Our data suggest that pigeons are not susceptible to Asian lineage H5N1 HPAIV and do not transmit the virus to chickens.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine and State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yuehuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hanchun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Weiguang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Weiping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yanni
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chunhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Junjie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Jingyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xiuqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001208:Asia; D002645:Chickens / Q000821:virology; D010856:Columbidae / Q000821:virology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D053124:Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms