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Role for migratory birds in the global spread of influenza

Monitoring the migration routes of wild birds could help to provide early warning of potential bird flu outbreaks.

Migratory birds routes in the global spread of influenza
Infection route from virus sequence data. For video please see the journal page.

Dr Sam Lycett at The Roslin Institute has used pioneering approaches to study the role of migratory birds in the global spread of avian influenza H5H8 based on phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences and computer modelling.

Monitoring the migration routes of wild birds could help to provide early warning of potential bird flu outbreaks, which can be devastating for the poultry industry.

For further information please see our news story.

Original publication

Global Consortium for H5N8 and Related Influenza Viruses (2016) Role for migratory wild birds in the global spread of avian influenza H5N8. Science 354:213-217. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf8852

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