Research
SA-GAINS
Project
The Southern African
component of the Global Avian Influenza Network for Surveillance
Coordinator
Prof. Graeme
Cumming
Project
Summary
With support from the USAID-funded
GAINS initiative, we have spent the last two years running
a project looking at the distributions and movements of ducks
and the prevalence of avian influenza viruses in wild duck
populations in five sites spread across South Africa (Strandfontein
in the Cape, and Barberspan in Northern Province), Mozambique
(Lake Chuali), Botswana (Makgadikgadi Pans and Lake Ngami),
and Zimbabwe (Lake Chivero and Lake Manyame, near Harare).
The primary aims of the project were twofold: first, to document
the prevalence of influenza viruses (i.e., including but not
limited to H5 strains) in wild duck populations in southern
Africa; and second, to obtain a better understanding of the
regional movement patterns of wild water birds.
Samples for influenza testing
were collected from over 5,000 water birds. These data were
supplemented by standardized duck counts, measures of water
quality and quantity, and a range of other satellite image-derived
measures of habitat type and quality. Individuals of two species,
Red-Billed Teal and Egyptian
Geese, are still being tracked using GPS telemetry.
Many of the results of the study
are still being written up for publication. You can see our
first published analysis, an avian influenza risk map for
southern Africa, by clicking here.
Our results will contribute
to a regional and global understanding of the potential role
of wild birds in the epidemiology of avian influenzas, as
well as shedding light on patterns of duck movements through
the year and the causes of nomadism in duck populations in
semi-arid areas.
We are currently mapping out
future directions. Contingent on funding, we plan to pursue
related research with a stronger focus on avian malaria.
Further details can be found on
Sharon Okanga and
Felix Nchu's home pages or on the Spatial Parasitology & Epidemiology
research page.
Details and Updates
Although
we have largely completed our fieldwork activities for this
stage of the programme, we are still getting samples analysed.
So far we have found that the prevalence of avian influenza
viruses in southern Africa is LOW. Celia Abolnik at the Onderstepoort
Veterinary Institute has so far found 39 birds that are positive
for some form of avian influenza and has been able to type
one of these samples as an H1N8 virus from an Egyptian Goose
at Barberspan.
We
have over a year's satellite tracking data for some Egyptian
Geese and Red-Billed Teal. Mduduzi Ndlovu is
currently working on Egyptian Geese as part of his MSc studies
Collaborating
Organizations
SA-GAINS
has relied on numerous collaborators and assistants, including
the 80 different people who have helped out in the field at
one time or another. Of particular note are the following
organizations:
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