Demographic inference in barn swallows using whole-genome data shows signal for bottleneck and subspecies differentiation during the Holocene.

Accounting for historical demographic features is vital for many types of evolutionary inferences, including the estimation of divergence times between closely related populations. In barn swallow, Hirundo rustica, inferring historical population sizes and subspecies divergence times can shed light on the recent co-evolution of this species with humans. Pairwise sequentially Markovian coalescent uncovered population growth beginning on the order of one million years ago-which may reflect the radiation of the broader Hirundo genus-and a more recent population decline.

Putative human and avian risk factors for avian influenza virus infections in backyard poultry in Egypt.

Highly pathogenic influenza A virus subtype H5N1 causes significant poultry mortality in the six countries where it is endemic and can also infect humans. Egypt has reported the third highest number of poultry outbreaks (n=1084) globally. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to identify putative risk factors for H5N1 infections in backyard poultry in 16 villages in Damietta, El Gharbia, Fayoum, and Menofia governorates from 2010-2012.