Describe the typology of backyard holdings and screen pathogens present within backyard holdings
PHASE 1
Describe practices and sample backyard flocks in rural areas of high density in poultry production and having close links with commercial farms during HPAI H5N8 outbreaks in 2016-2017.
The presence and importance of backyards flocks surrounding commercial farms will be described. A focus will be made on practices and biosecurity measures as well as existence/type of connection with commercial farms. AI serology and virology analyses will help describing eventual circulation and transmission of AIVs. Other pathogens of interest will be looked for and the risk of backyard flocks regarding commercial farms will be assessed.
PHASE 2
Describe the patterns of the emerging backyard flocks “sector” in urban landscapes and/or other rural areas of low density poultry production.
Sampling some backyard flocks will give information about health status of “urban” sector and will be compared to rural ones.
A better understanding of exchanges between different compartments within and without non-commercial flocks can be a risk management help.
PHASE 3
Characterize exchanges between commercial and non-commercial farms
The last part of the project is to better assess interactions between non-commercial and commercial compartments by using molecular analysis. Sequences will be compared in order to precise circulation and exchanges of pathogens between sectors and describe their evolution by a kinetic approach.
