title: Circulation of avian influenza viruses in wild birds in Inner Niger Delta, Mali.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Avian influenza viruses (AIV) have been detected in wild birds in West Africa during the northern winter, but no information is available on a potential year-round circulation of AIV in West Africa. Such year-round circulation would allow reassortment opportunities between strains circulating in Afro-tropical birds and strains imported by migratory birds wintering in West Africa.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A 2-year longitudinal survey was conducted in the largest continental wetland of West Africa, the Inner Niger Delta in Mali, to determine the year-round circulation of AIV in wild birds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Avian influenza virus RNA was detected during all periods of the year. Very low prevalence was detected during the absence of the migratory wild birds. However, a year-round circulation of AIV seems possible in West Africa, as shown in other African regions. West Africa may hence be another potential site of reassortment between AIV strains originating from both Afro-tropical and Eurasian regions.
authors.affiliation: CIRAD-ES, UR AGIRS, Montpellier, France. julien.cappelle@cirad.fr
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cappelle
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Servan de Almeida
authors.forename: Bouba
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fofana
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dakouo
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Balança
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gil
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albina
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gaidet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008302:Mali; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral