Assessing avian influenza surveillance intensity in wild birds using a One Health lens
Jolene A. Giacinti,
Sarah J. Robinson,
Christopher M. Sharp,
Jennifer F. Provencher,
David L. Pearl,
Brian Stevens,
Larissa Nituch,
Rodney W. Brook,
Claire M. Jardine
Affiliations
Jolene A. Giacinti
Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Corresponding author.
Sarah J. Robinson
Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Christopher M. Sharp
Ontario Region Wildlife and Habitat Assessment Section, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Jennifer F. Provencher
Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
David L. Pearl
Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Brian Stevens
Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Larissa Nituch
Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Rodney W. Brook
Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Claire M. Jardine
Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Wildlife disease surveillance, particularly for pathogens with zoonotic potential such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (HPAIV), is critical to facilitate situational awareness, inform risk, and guide communication and response efforts within a One Health framework. This study evaluates the intensity of avian influenza virus (AIV) surveillance in Ontario's wild bird population following the 2021 H5N1 incursion into Canada. Analyzing 2562 samples collected between November 1, 2021, and October 31, 2022, in Ontario, Canada, we identify spatial variations in surveillance intensity relative to human population density, poultry facility density, and wild mallard abundance. Using the spatial scan statistic, we pinpoint areas where public engagement, collaborations with Indigenous and non-Indigenous hunter/harvesters, and working with poultry producers, could augment Ontario's AIV wild bird surveillance program. Enhanced surveillance at these human-domestic animal-wildlife interfaces is a crucial element of a One Health approach to AIV surveillance. Ongoing assessment of our wild bird surveillance programs is essential for strategic planning and will allow us to refine approaches and generate results that continue to support the program's overarching objective of safeguarding the health of people, animals, and ecosystems.
