Seroepidemiologic Survey of Potential Pathogens in Obligate and Facultative Scavenging Avian Species in California

Straub, Mary H.; Kelly, Terra R.; Rideout, Bruce A.; Eng, Curtis; Wynne, Janna; Braun, Josephine; Johnson, Christine K.

Free-flying condors, eagles, and turkey vultures. Exposure to several different potential pathogens was found in all three scavenging bird species (Fig 2) . Seroprevalence varied both by location and species, depending on the particular pathogen. Overall, free-flying condors had a seroprevalence of 32% (29/92) for avian adenovirus, 9% (7/81) for IBV-Ark, 45% (38/85) for IBV-Conn, 32% (26/82) for IBV-Mass, 1% (1/92) for M. gallisepticum, 26% (22/86) for AVPM-2, and 3% (3/92) for T. gondii. The seroprevalence of WNV was 61% (55/90) in freeflying condors, and the majority of these individuals were previously vaccinated. All free-flying condors were seronegative for C. psittaci, M. synoviae, AVPM-1, AVPM-3, and avian reovirus ( Table 1) . Seroprevalence in golden eagles was 76% (19/25) for avian adenovirus, 17% (4/24) for C. psittaci, and 15% (4/26) for T. gondii. All eagles were seronegative for IBV, M. gallisepticum, M. synoviae, APMV-1, 2, and 3, avian reovirus, and WNV. Turkey vultures had a seroprevalence of 42% (26/62) for avian adenovirus, 9% (4/43) for C. psittaci, 2% (1/46) for AVPM-1, 11% (7/66) for T. gondii, and 9% (6/66) for WNV. All turkey vultures were seronegative for IBV, M. gallisepticum, M. synoviae, AVPM-2, AVPM-3 and avian reovirus ( Table 2) . Seroprevalence for each pathogen was similar among turkey vultures by site; therefore data were combined for analysis. Age and sex distributions did not differ among the three free-flying condor release locations and the vulture and eagle populations.