Avian influenza H5N1 in viverrids: implications for wildlife health and conservation

• Published in: Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Vol. 273; no. 1595; pp. 1729 - 1732
• Main Authors: Roberton, S.I, Bell, D.J, Smith, G.J.D, Nicholls, J.M, Chan, K.H, Nguyen, D.T, Tran, P.Q, Streicher, U, Poon, L.L.M, Chen, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London The Royal Society 22-07-2006
• Subjects: animal health; Animals; Avian Influenza; Biodiversity; Biodiversity Conservation; Birds - virology; Chrotogale owstoni; Conservation of Natural Resources; conservation practices; Female; H5N1; H5N1 subtype influenza A virus; Infections; Influenza A virus; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - classification; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - genetics; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype - isolation & purification; Orthomyxoviridae; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - transmission; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - veterinary; Orthomyxoviridae Infections - virology; Owston's Civet; Phylogeny; Threatened species; Viruses; Viverrid; Viverridae; Viverridae - anatomy & histology; Viverridae - physiology; Viverridae - virology; Waterfowl; wild animals; Wild birds; Wild Species Infections; Wildlife conservation; Vietnam
• ISSN: 0962-8452; 1471-2954
• DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2006.3549

The Asian countries chronically infected with avian influenza A H5N1 are 'global hotspots' for biodiversity conservation in terms of species diversity, endemism and levels of threat. Since 2003, avian influenza A H5N1 viruses have naturally infected and killed a range of wild bird species, four felid species and a mustelid. Here, we report fatal disseminated H5N1 infection in a globally threatened viverrid, the Owston's civet, in Vietnam, highlighting the risk that avian influenza H5N1 poses to mammalian and avian biodiversity across its expanding geographic range.