Interplay between pollution and avian influenza virus in shorebirds and waterfowl

Abstract Anthropogenic pollution may disrupt wildlife immune function and increase susceptibility to, and ability to withstand, infection. Of particular concern is avian influenza virus (AIV), which in its low-pathogenic form is endemic in many wild bird populations, notably waterfowl and shorebirds, and in its high-pathogenic form poses a threat to wildlife, livestock and people. Many pollutants have immunomodulative properties, yet little is known about how these pollutants affect AIV infection risk specifically. We examined concentrations of known immunomodulatory compounds, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), and assessed their influence on AIV infection in three reservoir species, red-necked stint (Calidris ruficollis, n=121), pacific black duck (Anas superciliosa, n=57) and grey teal (Anas gracilis, n= 62). Using data on viral prevalence (cloacal/oropharyngeal swabs) and seroprevalence (AIV anti-nucleoprotein antibodies), we found no significant effect of PFASs pollution (total PFASs <0.01 – 470 ng/g in red-necked stint, <0.01 – 600 ng/g in pacific black duck and 0.3 – 200 ng/g in grey teal) on infection status in our three species. This may be due to relatively low pollutant concentrations, but we cannot rule out possible population culling through a synergy of pollution and infection stressors. We therefore recommend further studies on infection incidence in more polluted populations or species.