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Microorganisms
Special Issues
Ecology of Influenza A Viruses: 2nd Edition
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Ecology of Influenza A Viruses: 2nd Edition

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Virology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2025 | Viewed by 7759

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Maria Alessandra De Marco

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Enviromental Protection and Research (ISPRA), Ozzano dell’Emilia, BO, Italy
Interests: influenza virus ecology; emerging coronaviruses; zoonoses; wildlife infectious diseases; wildlife conservation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Claudia Cotti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy
Interests: ecology; invasive species; wildlife infectious diseases; viral laboratory diagnosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a continuation of our 2021 Special Issue "Ecology of Influenza A Viruses".

Wild aquatic birds represent the major natural reservoir of the influenza A virus (IAV) gene pool from which novel IAVs can emerge to infect other avian and mammalian species, humans included. From an ecological point of view, IAVs are natural components of wetland ecosystems in which they occupy trophic niches represented by susceptible hosts while interacting with other biotic and environmental components. However, ecosystem interactions underlie possible bidirectional viral flows between natural and anthropogenic habitats.

It has long been known that natural avian reservoirs enable the perpetuation of low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) that, in poultry, can occasionally evolve into highly pathogenic (HP) strains, posing a risk for animal and public health. Nevertheless, in recent years, a new scenario has emerged with the increasing potential involvement of wild birds in HP avian influenza caused by H5 subtype circulation and long-distance spread by migratory populations. Many unanswered questions remain in relation to this scenario.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a multidisciplinary collection of original research, communication and review articles related to IAV ecology and evolutionary adaptation to natural reservoir and spillover hosts in the context of the current climatic and anthropogenic system change. Manuscripts covering all aspects of research relating to IAV–host–environment interactions are of interest, including work from surveillance and research activities based on molecular, virological and serological findings.

Dr. Maria Alessandra De Marco
Dr. Claudia Cotti
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Influenza A Virus
  • ecology
  • ecological interfaces
  • virus–host–environment interactions
  • wild aquatic birds
  • reservoir hosts
  • spillover hosts
  • migratory birds
  • LPAIV
  • HPAIV

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 4966 KiB  
Article
Study of the Interface between Wild Bird Populations and Poultry and Their Potential Role in the Spread of Avian Influenza
by Luca Martelli, Diletta Fornasiero, Francesco Scarton, Arianna Spada, Francesca Scolamacchia, Grazia Manca and Paolo Mulatti
Microorganisms 2023, 11(10), 2601; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11102601 - 21 Oct 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2662
Abstract
Water birds play a crucial role in disseminating and amplifying avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in the environment. However, they may have limited interactions with domestic facilities, raising the hypothesis that other wild birds may play the bridging role in introducing AIVs into poultry. [...] Read more.
Water birds play a crucial role in disseminating and amplifying avian influenza viruses (AIVs) in the environment. However, they may have limited interactions with domestic facilities, raising the hypothesis that other wild birds may play the bridging role in introducing AIVs into poultry. An ornithocoenosis study, based on census-transect and camera-trapping methods, was conducted in 2019 in ten poultry premises in northeast Italy to characterize the bird communities and envisage the species that might act as bridge hosts for AIVs. The data collected were explored through a series of multivariate analyses (correspondence analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling), and biodiversity indices (observed and estimated richness, Shannon entropy and Pielou’s evenness). The analyses revealed a high level of complexity in the ornithic population, with 147 censused species, and significant qualitative and quantitative differences in wild bird species composition, both in space and in time. Among these, only a few were observed in close proximity to the farm premises (i.e., Magpies, Blackbirds, Cattle Egrets, Pheasants, Eurasian Collared Doves, and Wood Pigeons), thus suggesting their potential role in spilling over AIVs to poultry; contrarily, waterfowls appeared to be scarcely inclined to close visits, especially during autumn and winter seasons. These findings stress the importance of ongoing research on the wild–domestic bird interface, advocating for a wider range of species to be considered in AIVs surveillance and prevention programs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Influenza A Viruses: 2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 1398 KiB  
Article
Seroconversion of a Swine Herd in a Free-Range Rural Multi-Species Farm against HPAI H5N1 2.3.4.4b Clade Virus
by Francesca Rosone, Francesco Bonfante, Marcello Giovanni Sala, Silvia Maniero, Antonella Cersini, Ida Ricci, Luisa Garofalo, Daniela Caciolo, Antonella Denisi, Alessandra Napolitan, Monja Parente, Bianca Zecchin, Calogero Terregino and Maria Teresa Scicluna
Microorganisms 2023, 11(5), 1162; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051162 - 28 Apr 2023
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3663
Abstract
Starting from October 2021, several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 were reported in wild and domestic birds in Italy. Following the detection of an HPAIV in a free-ranging poultry farm in Ostia, province of Rome, despite the lack [...] Read more.
Starting from October 2021, several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 were reported in wild and domestic birds in Italy. Following the detection of an HPAIV in a free-ranging poultry farm in Ostia, province of Rome, despite the lack of clinical signs, additional virological and serological analyses were conducted on samples collected from free-ranging pigs, reared in the same holding, due to their direct contact with the infected poultry. While the swine nasal swabs were all RT-PCR negative for the influenza type A matrix (M) gene, the majority (%) of the tested pigs resulted serologically positive for the hemagglutination inhibition test and microneutralization assay, using an H5N1 strain considered to be homologous to the virus detected in the farm. These results provide further evidence of the worrisome replicative fitness that HPAI H5Nx viruses of the 2.3.4.4b clade have in mammalian species. Moreover, our report calls for additional active surveillance, to promptly intercept occasional spillover transmissions to domestic mammals in close contact with HPAI affected birds. Strengthened biosecurity measures and efficient separation should be prioritized in mixed-species farms in areas at risk of HPAI introduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of Influenza A Viruses: 2nd Edition)
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