Abstract

To better understand the potential impacts of influenza pandemics on wildlife and the role of alternative hosts in disease ecology, we evaluated tissues from seventy-two wildlife species for expression of avian and human influenza virus receptors (α-2,3 and α-2,6 sialic acid residues, respectively) using lectin histochemistry and performed in situ binding assays with avian and human-adapted viruses.

Potential susceptibility to infection as indicated by the type of influenza virus receptor expressed was not always consistent within taxa. Nine species of small and large felids and four species of viverrids consistently expressed receptors for both avian and human influenza viruses. In contrast, four species of Canidae expressed receptors for avian influenza viruses only, while three expressed receptors for both avian and human influenza viruses. In the families Mustelidae (10 spp.), Procyonidae (4 spp.), Ursidae (3 spp.), and Suidae (3 spp.), all species examined expressed receptors for human influenza viruses, but a few individual species from each family also expressed receptors for avian influenza viruses. Among the great apes, lowland Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) and pygmy chimpanzees (Pan paniscus) expressed only avian influenza receptors, while Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) expressed neither receptor.

Although virus receptor expression is only one component of disease susceptibility, our findings correlated well with previously published reports of influenza virus infections in wildlife.^1-3 Collectively, these data will enable zoo and wildlife managers to respond more appropriately to influenza pandemics, and will provide improved tools for modeling future effects as viruses continue to spill over into alternate hosts.

Literature Cited

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2.  Keawcharoen J, Oraveerakul K, Kuiken T, Fouchier RA, Amonsin A, Payungporn S, Noppornpanth S, Wattanodorn S, Theambooniers A, Tantilertcharoen R, Pattanarangsan R, Arya N, Ratanakorn P, Osterhaus DM, Poovorawan Y. Avian influenza H5N1 in tigers and leopards. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004;10(12):2189–2191.

3.  Schrenzel MD, Tucker TA, Stalis IH, Kagan RA, Burns RP, Denison AM, Drew CP, Paddock CD, Rideout BA. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus in 3 new wildlife species. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011;17(4):747–749.