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Viral antibodies in south polar skuas around Davis Station, Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 May 2008

Gary D. Miller ,
Joanne M. Watts  and
Geoffrey R. Shellam
Gary D. Miller*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA Discipline of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, M502, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
Joanne M. Watts
Affiliation:
Discipline of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, M502, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
Geoffrey R. Shellam
Affiliation:
Discipline of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, M502, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
*
*Corresponding author: Discipline of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical, Biomolecular and Chemical Sciences, M502, 35 Stirling Highway, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia[email protected]
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Abstract

We surveyed south polar skuas (Catharacta maccormicki Saunders) in Antarctica for antibodies to a series of viral agents using blood serum and cloacal swabs from 124 adult skuas. There were no ticks on the subjects and we were unable to isolate virus from any individual. Skuas, however, were seropositive to some avian viruses: 16.9% (20/118) had antibodies to infectious bursal disease virus and 10.5% (11/105) were seropositive for Newcastle disease. We found 1.0% (1/98) had antibodies to avian influenza, no evidence of egg drop syndrome (0/48), but 27.8% (10/36) had antibodies to flaviviruses. Clearly south polar skuas encounter a variety of pathogens either in Antarctica or during their migration in the non-breeding season. There was no evidence of disease in skuas, but the presence of antibodies to pathogens indicates the need to continue to search for the origins of these immunological challenges.

Keywords

avian diseaseavian influenzainfectious bursal diseaseNewcastle diseaseseroprevalence
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 20 , Issue 5 , October 2008 , pp. 455 - 461
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2008

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