Serological Screening for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus and Hepatitis E Virus in Camels in Kazakhstan.

After the recent Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) pandemic in 2013, more attention has been paid to the camel as an important source of zoonotic viral infections. Almost simultaneously, in 2013, new genotypes 7 and 8 of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) were discovered in dromedary and Bactrian camels, respectively. HEV 7 was further shown to be associated with chronic viral hepatitis in a transplant recipient.

A Highly Pathogenic H5N1 Influenza A Virus Isolated from a Flamingo on the Caspian Sea Shore.

In 2015, in the Kazakh part of the northern Caspian Sea region, during the monitoring of wild birds for avian influenza viruses, a highly pathogenic A/flamingo/Mangistau/6570/2015(H5N1) influenza virus was isolated from a dead flamingo. This study aimed to obtain the complete genome sequence of the isolate.

Evolution of Avian orthoavulavirus 16 in wild avifauna of Central Asia.

In 2014, a novel Avian orthoavulavirus 16 species was described among wild birds in Korea. In 2018, after massive parallel sequencing of archival strains of Avian orthoavulaviruses, isolated in 2006 in Central Kazakhstan, isolates belonging to this serotype were detected. The obtained data allowed to trace the evolution of this serotype in Asia and to reveal its evolutionary relationships with other subfamily species.

Cormorants as Potential Victims and Reservoirs of Velogenic Newcastle Disease Virus (Orthoavulavirus-1) in Central Asia.

Virulent strains of avian orthoavulavirus 1, historically known as Newcastle disease virus (NDV), are widespread and cause high levels of mortality in poultry worldwide. Wild birds may play an important role in the maintenance of in nature. Prior to 2014, most of the lentogenic NDV strains isolated from Central Asia were obtained from the avian order Anseriformes (ducks and geese).

Novel avian paramyxovirus isolated from gulls in Caspian seashore in Kazakhstan.

Three isolates APMV/gull/Kazakhstan/5976/2014, APMV/gull/Kazakhstan/ 5977/2014 and APMV/gull/Kazakhstan/5979/2014, were obtained from independent samples during annual surveillance for avian influenza and paramyxoviruses in wild birds from the Caspian Sea coast in Western Kazakhstan, and were initially identified as putative paramyxoviruses on the basis of electron microscopy. Hemagglutination Inhibition Assays with antisera to nine known APMV serotypes (APMV1-9) indicated no relation to any of them. Next generation sequencing of whole genome sequences indicated the three isolates were genetically identical, and had a nucleotide structure typical for all APMVs, consisting of six genes 3'-NP-P-M-F-HN-L-5'.

Circulation of avian paramyxoviruses in wild birds of Kazakhstan in 2002-2013.

Background: Screening wild birds for avian paramyxoviruses is of increasing importance. 6913 samples of tracheal and cloacal swabs were collected during 2002-2013 and tested to study the prevalence of APMVs in wild avifauna of Kazakhstan. As a result, 45 isolates were obtained during this period and their ecological niches and genetic relationships were defined.

Complete Genome Sequence of Avian Paramyxovirus Strain APMV-6/red-crested pochard/Balkhash/5842/2013 from Kazakhstan.

An avian paramyxovirus 6 strain was isolated during a wild bird monitoring study in Kazakhstan in 2013. The virus was isolated from a wild duck red-crested pochard (Netta rufina) in southeastern Kazakhstan. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of the virus.