PHO Rounds: Launching the Novel "Torpedo" Surveillance Method for Avian Influenza Viruses in Wetland

Current methods used for sampling avian influenza viruses (AIVs) include sampling live or dead animals, which is limited by time, resources, and accessibility. This Public Health Ontario (PHO) Rounds will explore a study aimed at testing the efficacy of a novel environmental surveillance method for AIV in bodies of water, using a novel device termed “the torpedo”. The device is loaded with sorbent materials allowing for water sampling on immersion and towing from a watercraft.

About the Study:

Swab samples from free-ranging waterfowl were collected in parallel with wetland water samples using the torpedo. In total, 200 swab samples and 72 torpedo sorbent material samples placed in 28 torpedoes were collected from six Ontario wetlands. AIV Viralribonucleic Acid (RNA) was detected in 32 swab samples and 16 sorbent materials from five torpedoes. Whole genome viral sequences were obtained from both swab and torpedo samples, and seven unique subtypes were detected. The torpedo sampling method is therefore capable of detecting AIV in a field setting.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe basic avian influenza virus biology and its viral ecology
• Interpret the results of the study on the efficacy of a novel surveillance method for AIVs and the impact it can have on surveillance efforts in Ontario
• Identify risk factors for AIV infection in humans

Presenter(s): Dr. Samira Mubareka, Dr. Claire Jardine, Juliette Blais-Savoie

The presentation can be found here: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en...