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Serological evidence of West Nile virus in wild birds in Bangladesh
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  • Ariful Islam,
  • Shariful Islam,
  • Mohammad Enayet Hossain,
  • Jinnat Ferdous,
  • Josefina Abedin,
  • Mohammed Rahman,
  • Md Rahman,
  • Ahsanul Haque,
  • Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan
Ariful Islam
EcoHealth Alliance

Corresponding Author:arif@ecohealthalliance.org

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Shariful Islam
EcoHealth Alliance
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Mohammad Enayet Hossain
icddr,b
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Jinnat Ferdous
EcoHealth Alliance
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Josefina Abedin
Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research
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Mohammed Rahman
icddr,b
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Md Rahman
EcoHealth Alliance
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Ahsanul Haque
Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Science University
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Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan
Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Science University
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Abstract

West Nile virus (WNV) is a vector-borne zoonotic disease maintained in a sylvatic cycle involving mosquito vectors and birds. To detect West Nile virus (WNV) and other flavivirus infections in wild resident and migratory birds, we tested 184 samples from 19 identified species within nine families collected during 2012-2016 from four districts in Bangladesh. We tested serum samples for the immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to WNV using competitive Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (c-ELISA), whereas tracheal and cloacal swabs subjected to consensus PCR for the detection of the flavivirus RNA. Overall, 11.9% (n=22; 95% CI: 0.07-0.16) samples were seropositive, including 15.9% migratory wild birds and 10.7% resident wild birds. Tufted duck showed 28.5% sero-positivity, whereas crows showed 12.5% sero-positivity. None of the swab samples was positive for flavivirus RNA infection. These study findings suggest that wild birds of Bangladesh may carry WNV. We recommend continued surveillance for early detection and to better understand the epidemiology of WNV and other flavivirus circulation in both birds and mosquitoes in Bangladesh.
28 Oct 2020Published in Veterinary Sciences volume 7 issue 4 on pages 164. 10.3390/vetsci7040164