First surveillance study of avian orthoavulavirus type 1 in wild birds in Morocco: Insights and implications for future monitoring.

Background: Wild birds, particularly migratory species, can act as natural reservoirs and vectors of avian orthoavulavirus type 1 (AOAV-1) or Newcastle disease virus (NDV), contributing to its spread across regions and potentially threatening domestic poultry populations. AOAV-1, also known as NDV, is a major pathogen affecting avian species and poses a global threat to poultry production. It belongs to the Paramyxoviridae family and is an RNA virus encoding six key proteins, including the fusion (F) protein, which determines pathogenicity. AOAV-1 is classified into three pathotypes based on virulence: velogenic (highly pathogenic), mesogenic (moderately pathogenic), and lentogenic (mild or asymptomatic). In Morocco, AOAV-1 is endemic in poultry production systems, as evidenced by recent studies reporting a 52.1% seroprevalence and active viral RNA detection in backyard chickens in the Khemisset and Skhirat-Temara provinces; however, effective vaccination strategies have contributed to controlling the clinical signs and widespread dissemination of the virus.

Aim: The main objective of this study was to investigate the presence of AOAV-1 in wild bird populations across Morocco, providing insights into possible transmission of infection affecting domestic poultry.

Methods: From November 2016 to April 2022, a total of 1984 samples were collected from 840 individual birds, encompassing 79 species, 25 families, and 12 orders. The majority of the samples belonged to Charadriiformes, Anseriformes, Pelecaniformes, and Passeriformes. Sampling was conducted at 17 wetlands and six additional locations throughout Morocco. Viral detection was performed using real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) targeting Matrix (M) and RNA polymerase (L) genes to confirm the presence of AOAV-1.

Results: Although the study spanned 6 years and included a large number of samples from bird orders considered primary AOAV-1 reservoirs, all samples tested negative for NDV RNA using both M and L gene targets.

Conclusion: This study represents the first effort in Morocco to monitor wild birds for AOAV-1. The samples analyzed were initially collected for avian influenza surveillance, which shares epidemiological similarities with Newcastle's disease. However, to improve future surveillance efforts, sample collection should be optimized to target scenarios with the highest probability of virus detection.