Scientists are collecting environmental samples, such as bird faeces, in a research project aimed at understanding how and where avian influenza and other viruses could impact New Zealand.
This comes as the highly infectious H5N1 avian flu was recently discovered in Antarctica, making Oceania the only continent the highly pathogenic virus has not yet reached.
The Te Niwha research project is led by University of Otago Professor Jemma Geoghegan and Dr David Winter of the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), partnering with local communities and iwi.
The team will work to develop a portable in-field environmental DNA detection tool for bird flu and other viruses as part of an enhanced nationwide surveillance system.
Geoghegan said that avian influenza has killed millions of birds, spilled over to mammals such as seals and polar bears, and even infected humans.
Aquatic birds carry a wide range of viruses and commonly spread them to new species and environments.
"The role wild aquatic birds play in the transmission of viruses in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how this may impact human and animal health in the near future is unclear.
"This knowledge gap leaves Aotearoa New Zealand vulnerable to the introduction of a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus and its inevitable impacts on wildlife, agriculture and potentially human health."
Samples are being collected from sites where sea, shore and water birds are found.
They are also being collected from city parks where humans have contact with birds as well as from birds in the sub-Antarctic and Chatham Island regions.
Taonga species such as hoiho/yellow-eyed penguins will be sampled in partnership with iwi and the Department of Conservation.
Winter said that a lot was learnt about using genomics and wastewater to monitor viruses during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Just as we did for Covid-19, we want to ensure we have the knowledge and technology required to respond to the next threat.
"Using an innovative combination of genomic technologies, we will determine the transmission networks and evolution of avian viruses already present in Aotearoa, demonstrate the use of large-scale environmental sampling for disease surveillance, and quantify the disease risk of such viruses, including any concerning new strains, to public health."
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