Australian black swans at high risk of avian flu

"Our data suggests that the immune system of the black swan is such that, should any avian viral infection become established in its native habitat, their survival would be in peril," says Kirsty Short. (Credit: Arthur Chapman/Flickr)

The unique genetics of Australian black swans leaves them vulnerable to viral illnesses such as avian flu, according to a new study.

The first-ever genome of the black swan reveals the species lacks some immune genes which help other wild waterfowl combat infectious diseases.

The geographic isolation of Australia’s black swans has meant limited exposure to pathogens commonly found in other parts of the world, leading to reduced immune diversity, says Kirsty Short, associate professor in the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences at the University of Queensland.

“Unlike mallard ducks for example, black swans are extremely sensitive to highly pathogenic avian influenza—HPAI which is often referred to as bird flu—and can die from it within three days,” Short says.

“Our data suggests that the immune system of the black swan is such that, should any avian viral infection become established in its native habitat, their survival would be in peril.

“We currently don’t have HPAI in Australia, but it has spread from Asia to North America, Europe, North Africa, and South America. “When it was introduced to new locations, such as Chile and Peru, thousands of wild seabirds perished.

“The risk to one of Australia’s most unique and beautiful birds is very real, and we need to be prepared if we hope to protect it.”

With the knowledge from the new study, Short says researchers and conservationists hope to be able to better protect not only the black swan, but also other susceptible species across the globe.

“We want to increase awareness about how vulnerable Australia’s bird species are to avian influenza and the highly precarious situation they are in,” Short says.

The study appears in Genome Biology. Coauthors are from the Vertebrate Genomes Project (VGP).

The Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources and an Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award funded the work.

Source: University of Queensland