Sample collection
Sampling of birds was based on purposive sampling technique, i.e., based
on availability of birds at the time of capture and purchase. A total of
136 birds, comprising 20 Laughing doves, 22 Speckled pigeons, 25 Cattle
egrets, 25 Senegalese parrots, 21 mallards and 23 geese were sampled
over a period of 9 months (April-December 2018).
Blood sample was collected from each bird via the wing vein using
sterile hypodemic syringes and 23G needles, dispensed into labeled plain
sample tubes and allowed to clot at room temperature. Thereafter, the
formed serum was transferred into labeled sample bottle and stored at
-200C until used for detection of AIV antibodies.
Oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs from each bird were collected using
Dacron swab, dispersed in labeled sample bottle containing about 1 ml of
virus transport medium (VTM) and pooled together. Pooled swabs of about
4-5 birds of the same species were further pooled together to increase
the concentration of antigen for possible detection. The total numbers
of pooled oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs for Laughing dove, Speckled
pigeon, Senegalese parrot, Cattle egret, mallard and geese were 4, 4, 5,
5, 4 and 4, respectively. The swab and VTM were thoroughly mixed and the
mixture of swab content and VTM was stored at -200C
until used for viral molecular detection.