TY - JOUR AU - Jones, Jeremy AU - Sonnberg, Stephanie AU - Koçer, Zeynep AU - Shanmuganatham, Karthik AU - Seiler, Patrick AU - Shu, Yuelong AU - Zhu, Huachen AU - Guan, Yi AU - Peiris, Malik AU - Webby, Richard AU - Webster, Robert T1 - Possible Role of Songbirds and Parakeets in Transmission of Influenza A(H7N9) Virus to Humans T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2014 VL - 20 IS - 3 SP - 385 SN - 1080-6059 AB - Avian-origin influenza A(H7N9) recently emerged in China, causing severe human disease. Several subtype H7N9 isolates contain influenza genes previously identified in viruses from finch-like birds. Because wild and domestic songbirds interact with humans and poultry, we investigated the susceptibility and transmissibility of subtype H7N9 in these species. Finches, sparrows, and parakeets supported replication of a human subtype H7N9 isolate, shed high titers through the oropharyngeal route, and showed few disease signs. Virus was shed into water troughs, and several contact animals seroconverted, although they shed little virus. Our study demonstrates that a human isolate can replicate in and be shed by such songbirds and parakeets into their environment. This finding has implications for these birds’ potential as intermediate hosts with the ability to facilitate transmission and dissemination of A(H7N9) virus. Download MP3  Length: 1:21 KW - influenza virus H7N9 KW - influenza virus avian KW - influenza virus human KW - finch KW - sparrow KW - budgerigar KW - songbird KW - transmission KW - host intermediate KW - Passeriformes KW - Psittaciformes KW - China KW - zoonoses KW - parakeets DO - 10.3201/eid2003.131271 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/20/3/13-1271_article ER - End of Reference