Objective:
To facilitate an expedition to Wrangel Island, Russia by a team of American and Russian scientists for the purpose of sampling wild migratory waterfowl for the presence of avian influenza virus.

Approach:
Increased surveillance and monitoring of wild birds on Wrangel Island will strengthen the early detection capabilities of both Russia and the U.S. and contribute to the scientific understanding of the role of migratory waterfowl in the maintenance and global spread of avian influenza at this key crossover site. The proposed collaborative project will represent the first integrated surveillance effort to complete avian influenza sampling and diagnostic analysis of waterfowl from Wrangel Island using conventional, validated field and laboratory procedures.