Analysis of Newcastle disease virus prevalence in wild birds reveals interhost transmission of genotype VI strains

Abstract

Surveillance of Newcastle disease viruses (NDVs) has been conducted primarily in poultry, but their prevalence in wild birds remains largely unknown. Increasing our understanding of the ecology and evolution of NDVs in different species of birds will help us develop better prevention and control strategies. In this study, large-scale epidemiological sampling of resident wild birds in Guangxi from 2016 to 2019 was performed. The results demonstrated that different genotypes, especially genotype VI NDVs, circulated among resident wild birds. Our findings highlight the potential threat to the pigeon industry and public health.