Identifying gaps in wild waterfowl influenza A surveillance in Ohio, USA

The Mississippi Flyway is of utmost importance in monitoring influenza A viral diversity in the natural reservoir, as it is used by approximately 40% of North American migratory waterfowl. In 2008, influenza A virus surveillance was initiated in eight states within the flyway during annual southern migration to gain better insight into the natural history of influenza A viruses in the natural reservoir. More than 45,000 samples have been collected and tested; resulting in hundreds of diverse influenza A viral isolates, but seasonal surveillance may not be the best strategy to gain insight into the natural history of IAV. To further investigate the progress of this sampling strategy toward understanding the ecology of IAV in wild waterfowl, data from mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) sampled nearly year-round in Ohio was examined. Overall, 3,645 samples were collected from mallards in Ohio from 2008-2016, with IAV being recovered from 13.6% of all samples collected. However, when data from each month is e...