Perpetuation of avian influenza in the Americas: Examining the role of shorebirds in Patagonia

Abstract

Aquatic birds are considered the natural reservoir of all influenza viruses (Webster et al. 1992). Low-pathogenic avian influenza (AI) viruses have been isolated from Anseriformes (at least 36 species of ducks and 8 species of geese), Charadriiformes (10 species of shorebirds, 9 species of terns), and a few additional waterfowl species (Olsen et al. 2006).