MAKHACHKALA, July 10 – RIA "Dagestan". Scientists from Dagestan State University (DSU), collaborating with an international team, have published a comprehensive analysis of avian influenza data spanning two decades. Their findings highlight the Caspian Sea as a critical ecological hub linking Eurasia and Africa in the spread of infectious diseases among wildlife.
The university emphasizes that understanding viral movement via migratory birds is essential for assessing infection risks and establishing early warning systems, particularly in areas where wetlands, coastal ecosystems and agricultural lands intersect. The study examines the 2022–2023 mass mortality of colonial birds in the northern Caspian, with genomic analysis confirming intercontinental viral exchange and the region's global significance.
Alimurad Gadzhiev, DSU Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation, noted the work’s applied value for epizootological monitoring, biodiversity conservation and risk assessment across veterinary medicine, agriculture and public health. Supported by the "RSF–Dagestan" grant, the research involved experts from the Caspian Nature Conservation Center, Astrakhan Nature Reserve, Siberian Branch RAS Virology Institute and Austrian University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna.