Avian influenza A virus

The avian influenza A virus has caused mortalities of millions of birds worldwide. It continues to evolve and infect a wider range of host species due to the reassortment of the segments of the viral genome. While the main hosts for influenza A viruses are birds, they can also spread to mammals, including humans. Although characterization of avian influenza viruses and sequencing of their genomes have been done in studies in the past, there is little that we understand about the dynamics of these viruses. The latest outbreak of the avian influenza virus that started in late 2021 in North America has once again proved that there is a lot more to be studied when it comes to the global influenza gene pool and how these viruses are transmitted among bird populations in the wild. Atlantic Canada’s geographic location makes it an important site for surveillance and further characterization of avian influenza viruses, especially as there was limited influenza surveillance in the region over the past several years. Hence, the A. Lang lab together with Dr. Hargan, focus on screening wild birds of various species across Atlantic Canada.

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Presently, PhD candidate, Ishraq Rahman, is the graduate student lead on avian influenza research in the Lang & Hargan Labs. 

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Please get in touch with either Ishraq Rahman, Andrew Lang, and/or Kathryn Hargan if you would like to discuss future avian influenza research.