Avian pneumovirus (APV) RNA from wild and sentinel birds in the United States has genetic homology with RNA from APV isolates from domestic turkeys

Nasal turbinates or swabs were collected from wild ducks, geese, owls, spar rows, swallows, and starlings and from sentinel ducks placed next to turkey farms experiencing avian pneumovirus (APV) infections and were analyzed fo r APV genome and infectious particles. APV RNA was detected in samples exam ined from geese, sparrows, and starlings. APV RNA and antibodies were also detected in two different groups of sentinel ducks, Infectious APV was reco vered from sentinel duck samples. The APV M gene isolated from the wild bir ds had over 96% predicted amino acid identity with APV/Minnesota 2A, which was isolated earlier from domestic turkeys showing respiratory illness, sug gesting that wild birds may be involved in spreading APV infection.