Funding awarded for the ECOFLU consortium

Centre partners have recently been awarded major funding from the Natural Environment Research Council to form the ECOFLU consortium bringing together multi-disciplinary expertise to address the impact of Avian Influenza in wild bird populations.

Funding awarded for the ECOFLU consortium

A dramatic increase in Avian Influenza

We are currently experiencing a major increase in the frequency of outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) that is causing unprecedented mortality in both domestic and wild birds on a global scale. The recent outbreak has caused widespread devastation to both wild bird populations and commercial poultry, leading to major economic losses in farming and the food trade industries. 

While birds are the primary hosts for this disease, the recent spillovers into a range of mammalian species, including dairy cattle in the US and sheep in the UK, has demonstrated that the virus has the potential to move between hosts, posing a potential threat to human health. 

Over the past few years, researchers have seen a significant change in the disease dynamics of a subtype of concern called H5N1. This has increasingly been detected across more species, persisting beyond the usual window of seasonal flu. Understanding the novel ecology of this strain requires a multidisciplinary effort and partnership with a wide number of stakeholders. 

A lack of critical information about the virus within existing and novel host populations has highlighted the need for a comprehensive approach to address major knowledge gaps and to determine effective mitigation strategies.

What is the ECOFLU project?

The ECOFLU project will bring together expertise from across the academic, government and NGO sectors working in ecology, virology, conservation and epidemiology.

The initiative involves centre partners The University of Edinburgh, The Animal and Plant Health Agency, NatureScot, The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, National Trust Scotland and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in addition to other University partners. 

The goal of the project is to work together to tackle this major environmental challenge. To achieve this, the consortium has identified the following major objectives: monitoring the virus, examining the hosts and building a modelling framework.

All the logos of the partners in ECOFLU
  1. Monitoring the Virus: 

    Monitoring the evolution of H5N1 virus is essential to gain a better understanding of how the virus spreads and changes. This approach will track how the virus changes over time and space across a diverse range of host species. The aims are to identify possible routes of transmission and track how the virus is changing as it evolves, pinpointing vital changes that may alter its pathogenicity or ability to jump between species.

  2. Examining the Hosts: 

    Shifting focus towards the host aims to identify why some populations are affected more than others and which populations may be affected in the future. Using novel surveillance data, the researchers intend to identify population clusters that may be more susceptible or vital in the transmission process. Factors such as individual life-histories, age, and migration routes will be examined closely to generate a profile of potential carriers and hotspots for transmission. 

  3. Building a Modelling Framework: 

    The goal is to leverage the data gathered to establish a modelling framework that encompasses a wide range of species. This framework will ultimately assess the resilience of various populations against this disease, while serving as a tool to minimise the harm to host populations as well as limiting future disease spread.

  • Puffins on the Isle of May
  • Gannet
  • Scientists in personal protective gear

Focus on Seabirds

A major focus of the project will be on seabirds. This is because they have been one of the groups of birds most severely hit in the latest outbreak to the point there are serious concerns about their future. For example, Scotland holds 60% of the global population of the Great Skua and in the first year of the outbreak over 76% of the breeding population was lost and over 80% in some key locations. And in Gannets, another species that was badly hit, 25% of the UK breeding population was lost and up to 54% of the Welsh populations. But seabirds are also a critical part of the wider network of transmission of avian influenza between different species. Many migrate at a global scale potentially moving the virus around both hemispheres of the world within their annual cycle.

  • Gannets suffered high mortality during the latest outbreak
  • Over 70% of the breeding population of Great Skua were lost in the first year of the outbreak

Impact

The ripple effects of this research go beyond the immediate concerns of the avian populations. Data generated can be used more widely to inform policy on future health risks and the general public about the ongoing avian influenza outbreak, while the tools developed will benefit the wider research and stakeholder communities.

The devastating effects of this disease on our bird populations is of international importance, as is the value of robust scientific data in addressing these issues of public concern. The knowledge generated from this study will act as a valuable resource that not only benefits other scientific endeavours but also contributes to public awareness. Making the information openly accessible to the general public will help bridge the gap between the scientific community and society, which has already generated impact by influencing government policies and informing on best practices in the field.

 

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