SENR Honors Thesis Presentation: In Vitro Tests of Environmental Variables

An SENR Honors Thesis presentation will be held Wednesday, Apr. 17, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. in 460 Kottman Hall. Amanda Warner will present In Vitro Tests of Environmental Variables on the Persistence of Avian Influenza Viruses in Wetland Substrates. 

Avian-origin type A influenza viruses are extremely variable. Much of the current research on type A influenza viruses has focused on transmission of the virus across bird species via direct contact. However, this research focuses on water sources used by infected ducks as the source of infection. The objectives of this study were to examine the persistence of low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (LPAIVs) in different wetland substrates and to evaluate what environmental factors allow for LPAIV to have a higher environmental persistence in the environment. Furthermore, this research compared the persistence of sporadically vs frequently occurring LPAIVs. The purpose of this study was to further examine the habitats of migratory waterfowl as a natural reservoir for avian influenza virus.