Wildlife/Exotic Animals

In the last 30 years nearly eighty percent of the new and emerging infectious diseases of humans have originated in animals. Many of these diseases are maintained in avian and other wildlife reservoirs and, as a consequence, are often hard to detect.

As part of New Zealand's early warning system for emerging infectious diseases in humans, livestock and other animals MAF has initiated a range of collaborative projects. Some of these e.g. a Cross Departmental Research Funded Project (CDRP) (offsite link to www.frst.govt.nz) designed to study the ecology of vectors and vector borne diseases, are run in collaboration with other agencies such as the Department of Conservation (offsite link to www.doc.govt.nz) and the Ministry of Health (offsite link to www.moh.govt.nz).

Other projects, especially those that focus on potentially zoonotic agents are run in collaboration with our NCBID partners (offsite link to www.ncbid.govt.nz), ESR and AgResearch.

The Investigation and Diagnostic Centre (IDC) at Wallaceville, Upper Hutt delivers a large part of MAFs operational function for the investigation and initial response to reports of suspected exotic animal disease in New Zealand. This includes investigation into unusual mortality events in wildlife and exotic animals.

IDC's Wallaceville centre comprises the Animal Health Laboratory (AHL) and the Exotic Disease Response Centre (EDRC). The AHL and EDRC employ veterinarians, animal scientists and specialist microbiologists with a wide range of experience and expertise in veterinary epidemiology and the diagnosis and control of animal diseases.

The AHL offers specialist testing services e.g. virus isolation and cell based immunological tests, as well as advice on testing requirements for testing unavailable in commercial laboratories in New Zealand.

To study the ecology of emerging diseases in New Zealand wildlife a number of research and capability projects have been developed. These include the development of test capability and surveillance initiatives for influenza A, paramyxoviruses and vector borne alpha and flavi viruses.

Avian influenza (AI) and avian paramyxovirus type 1 (APMV-1)

Test capability and development

  • Test validation for a real time PCR for influenza A and APMV-1
  • International ring trial for H5N1
  • Conventional PCR for H5 and H7 subtype viruses
  • Serological screening of ducks (HI testing for antibody to subtype H5/H7 viruses)
  • Virus isolation in SPF embryonated eggs

Surveillance initiatives

  • Risk assessment work, to assess potential entry pathways for disease agents was done to identify key sites and species for the study
  • Testing of Migratory shore birds (predominantly ruddy turnstones (Arenaria interpres), bartailed godwits (Limosa lapponica) and red knots (Calidris canutus) for AI and AMPV-1 on arrival in New Zealand in autumn (Sept/Oct)
  • Testing of wild ducks (predominantly mallard ducks, Anas platyrhynchos- illustrated) for AI and AMPV-1 in summer (Jan/Feb)
  • Testing for of AI and AMPV-1 in samples from passive surveillance of wild bird mortalities

Vector borne viruses

Test capability and development

  • Establishment for cell culture and virus isolation capability for selected vector borne viruses
  • Development of generic screening PCR tests for alpha and flavi viruses
  • Development and validation of specific PCR tests to rule in/rule out West Nile Virus (WNV) and Ross River Virus (RRV)
  • Validation of serological screening methods for WNV and RRV

Surveillance initiatives

  • Risk assessment work, to assess potential entry pathways for disease agents, was done to identify key sites and key agents for the study
  • Screening of wild birds (including the native saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus rufusater) and gannets- illustrated) sampled at four selected sites (including Mokoia Island and Cape Kidnappers) in New Zealand using serological tests to detect the presence of antibody to selected agents (subcontracted work)
  • Screening of vectors trapped at selected sites in New Zealand using virus isolation and PCR to detect the presence of vector borne alpha and flavi viruses
  • Screening for West Nile Virus (WNV) and other flavi viruses of interest in samples from passive surveillance of wild bird mortalities

Page last updated: 26 August 2008