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

S. I. Roberton, D. J. Bell, G. J. D. Smith, J. M. Nicholls, K. H. Chan, D. T. Nguyen, P. Q. Tran, U Streicher, L. L. M. Poon, H. Chen, P. Horby, M. Guardo, Y. Guan, J. S. M. Peiris

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

82 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1729-1732
Number of pages4
JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Volume273
Issue number1595
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 22 Jul 2006

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