From Our Partners
Saturday, June 25, 2022
News on Pathogens and Preparedness
Global Biodefense
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
Global Biodefense
No Result
View All Result
Home Biodetection

Avian Influenza Virus Detection Using Smell

by Global Biodefense Staff
October 17, 2013

New research from the Monell Chemical Senses Center and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals how diseases can modify animal odors in subtle ways. In a recent study published in the public access journal PLOS ONE, scientists examined how infection with avian influenza (AIV) alters fecal odors in mallards.

Using both behavioral and chemical methods, the findings reveal that AIV can be detected based on odor changes in infected birds.

“The fact that a distinctive fecal odor is emitted from infected ducks suggests that avian influenza infection in mallards may be ‘advertised’ to other members of the population,” notes Bruce Kimball, PhD, a research chemist with the USDA National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) stationed at the Monell Center. “Whether this chemical communication benefits non-infected birds by warning them to stay away from sick ducks or if it benefits the pathogen by increasing the attractiveness of the infected individual to other birds, is unknown.”

In the study, laboratory mice were trained to discriminate between feces from AIV-infected and non-infected ducks, indicating a change in odor. Chemical analysis then identified the chemical compounds associated with the odor changes as acetoin and 1-octen-3-ol.

The same compounds also have been identified as potential biomarkers for diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases in humans. Kimball and colleagues hypothesize that metabolites resulting from viral infection interact in concert with bacteria in the gastro-intestinal system of ducks to produce “odor signatures” indicating presence of the AI virus.

“Avian influenzas are typically asymptomatic in ducks and waterfowl. Infection in these species can only be diagnosed by directly detecting the virus, requiring capture of birds and collection of swab samples. Our results suggest that rapid and simple detection of influenzas in waterfowl populations may be possible through exploiting this odor change phenomenon,” said Monell behavioral biologist Gary Beauchamp, PhD, also an author on the paper.

Future work will assess whether odor changes can be used for surveillance of AIV in waterfowl. In particular, researchers are interested in whether the odor change is specific to the AIV pathogen or if it is merely a general response to a variety of pathogens normally found in birds. Other studies will explore communicative functions of the AIV odor to gain greater understanding of how odors can shape social behavior in wildlife populations.

Read the paper at PLOS One: Avian Influenza Infection Alters Fecal Odor in Mallards

Learn more about the: Monell Chemical Senses Center 

From Our Partners
Tags: Avian InfluenzaBiomarkersChemical DetectionInfluenza

Related Posts

Monkeypox Diagnostics: CDC Authorizes Five Commercial Lab Companies
Biosurveillance

Monkeypox Diagnostics: CDC Authorizes Five Commercial Lab Companies

June 22, 2022
Influenza Research
Biodetection

New Way to Identify Influenza A Virus Lights Up When Specific Virus Targets are Present

June 20, 2022
The Bioethics and Biosecurity Aspects of Targeted Wastewater Surveillance
Biosurveillance

The Bioethics and Biosecurity Aspects of Targeted Wastewater Surveillance

June 9, 2022
NIH to Further Invest in Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network
Biodetection

NIH to Further Invest in Point-of-Care Technologies Research Network

May 10, 2022
Load More

Latest News

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

Poliovirus Detected in London Sewage: Response Measures Emphasize Wastewater Surveillance and Vaccination Gaps

June 22, 2022
Monkeypox Diagnostics: CDC Authorizes Five Commercial Lab Companies

Monkeypox Diagnostics: CDC Authorizes Five Commercial Lab Companies

June 22, 2022
UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

UK Health Security Agency Widens Monkeypox Vaccine Umbrella for Outbreak Control

June 21, 2022
Influenza Research

New Way to Identify Influenza A Virus Lights Up When Specific Virus Targets are Present

June 20, 2022

Subscribe

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC

No Result
View All Result
  • Featured
  • COVID-19
  • Funding
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Stemar Media Group LLC