Highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Pavlodar region

Abstract

This article examines the problem of the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan and the identification of key risk factors in the study area. The authors analyze epidemiological data, highlighting the role of water bodies as key factors in the transmission of infection between wild and domestic birds. Influenza is a widespread infection that is reported annually in various parts of the world and causes enormous economic damage. Cases of human infection with the H5N6 avian influenza virus have been reported in China and India. The main reason for this is due to the polyetiological nature of the pathogens and the natural variability of their genome, leading to changes in the structure and properties of virion proteins. In evolutionary terms, birds are one of the oldest reservoirs of pathogens. This is facilitated by the peculiarities of their life activity, and primarily by coloniality, thanks to which a high number of individuals is achieved in a limited area and for a long period. When birds migrate, their concentration on wintering grounds and flyways increases and, as a consequence, the epizootological danger in certain areas of the globe increases. During the migration process, connecting bridges appear between biocenoses that are thousands of kilometers apart from each other. It is migratory birds that largely owe their existence to natural foci of diseases, genetic variability of infectious agents and their spread to other territories. Considering the geographical location of the territory of the republic, Kazakhstan’s reservoirs are the most important reserves in Asia, producers of aquatic and semi-aquatic bird species.