Cormorants as Potential Victims and Reservoirs of Velogenic Newcastle Disease Virus (Orthoavulavirus-1) in Central Asia

Virulent strains of avian orthoavulavirus 1, historically known as Newcastle disease virus (NDV), are widespread and cause high levels of mortality in poultry worldwide. Wild birds may play an important role in the maintenance of Avian orthoavulavirus 1 in nature. Prior to 2014, most of the lentogenic NDV strains isolated from Central Asia were obtained from the avian order Anseriformes (ducks and geese). Wild birds were monitored from 2014–2016...