Workpackage 2

Ecology and Pathology

Workpackage 2 (WP2) is mainly concerned with studying the ecology and pathology of different avian influenza strains in different host species. These studies will evaluate and compare host-pathogen interactions of different HPAI and LPAI viruses. These evaluations include histopathological descriptions of virus infection, quantification of viral loads in different organs and tissues by real-time RT-PCR and confocal immunohistochemistry. Apart from chickens, specific attention will be given to water birds such as ducks (Mallard) who seem to be clinically less susceptible to highly pathogenic avian influenza and therefore are implicated in transmission of the virus. Furthermore, experiments in pigs will be conducted in order to assess the role of pigs in maintenance and transmission of avian influenza since pigs may serve as a ‘mixing vessel’ for avian and human viruses. The significance of several adaptive mutations such as the NS1 truncations and lys 627 PB2 mutations will be examined in a chicken and mouse model system using either natural isolates or specific mutants generated by means of reverse genetics. Finally, the capacity of avian influenza to cross the species barrier will be examined by using mammalian-adapted viruses.

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