Digital Commons Network^™

Analysis Of Phenolics From Centella Asiatica And Vernonia Amygdalina And Their Role As Antibacterial And Antioxidant Compounds / Suzanna A/P Edgar, Suzanna Edgar

Student Works (2010-2019)

Six species of Malaysian medicinal plants were selected on the basis of their known medicinal values. The plants chosen were Aloe vera - leaf and pulp, Azadirachta indica - leaf, Carica papaya - leaf, Centella asiatica - whole plant, Hymenocallis speciosa - leaf, tuber and root, Vernonia amygdalina - leaf and stem. Aqueous and ethanolic extract of the plant tissues were tested for their antimicrobial properties against five test microorganisms. Of the six plants tested, the aqueous and ethanolic extract of C. asiatica (whole plant) exhibited highly significant antimicrobial activity against the bacterial strains while the ethanolic extract of Vernonia …

Investigation Of Lipid-Lowering Mechanism Of Tamarindus Indica Fruit Pulp In Hepg2 Cells Using Proteomic And Transcriptomic Approaches / Ursula Chong Rho Wan, Ursula Rho Wan Chong

Student Works (2010-2019)

Tamarindus indica (T. indica), or tamarind, is an edible fruit widely used in many applications including culinary, industrial, and medicinal purposes. It has been shown to exhibit hypolipidaemic effects in hamsters and humans. Previous studies have also shown that the methanol extract of T. indica fruit pulp regulated genes related to lipid metabolism. However, the lipid-lowering mechanism of the fruit has not been fully understood. The objective of this present study is to determine the lipid-lowering mechanism of T. indica fruit pulp using proteomic and transcriptomic approaches. Proteomic analyses were first performed to formulate a hypothesis on the hypolipidaemic action …

Molecular Characterization Of Putative Virulence Determinants And Identification Of Specific Immunogenic Polypeptides For The Serological Diagnosis Of Burkholderia Pseudomallei Infections / Puah Suat Moi, Suat Moi Puah

Student Works (2010-2019)

The Gram-negative saprophyte Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, an infectious disease which is endemic in Southeast Asia and northern Australia. This bacterium possesses many virulence factors which are thought to contribute to its survival and pathogenicity. Six genes BPSL2033, BP1026B_I2784, BP1026B_I2780, BURPS1106A_A0094, BURPS1106A_1131 and BURPS1710A_1419 were identified earlier in a screen by PCR-based subtractive hybridization, using a virulent clinical isolate of B. pseudomallei and a laboratory-acquired attenuated strain of the same isolate of B. pseudomallei. Therefore, the first objective of this study was to extensively characterize these genes at the molecular level, as well as one additional …

Anti-Bacterial And Cytotoxic Effects Of King Cobra (Ophiophagus Hannah) Venom L-Amino Acid Oxidase / Lee Mui Li, Mui Li Lee

Student Works (2010-2019)

King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom L-amino acid oxidase (OH-LAAO), a heat stable enzyme, has been shown to exhibit bactericidal activity against several strains of clinical isolates Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Its potency was compared with some common antibiotics such as cefotaxime, kanamycin, tetracycline, vancomycin and penicillin. King cobra venom LAAO was effective in inhibiting Gram-positive bacteria tested, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.78 μg/mL (0.006 μM) and 1.56 μg/mL (0.012 μM) against S. aureus and S. epidermidis, respectively. The MICs are comparable to the MICs of the antibiotics tested. However, the OH-LAAO was moderately effective against the Gram-negative bacteria …

Antigenic Evolution Of Dengue Virus In Malaysia / Mohammed Bashar Danlami, Mohammed Bashar Danlami

Student Works (2010-2019)

Neutralization escape mutant has played an important role in antigenic evolution of various virus-causing diseases. DENV, the causative agent of dengue has been shown to escape antibody neutralization, thereby causing an epidemic outbreak. The pattern through which DENV escape neutralization that leads to antigenic evolution, however, has not been thoroughly investigated in hyper endemic countries. It is hypothesized that, the highly susceptible DENV demonstrates a clear pattern of antigenic evolution from being minor strains (less frequent during an outbreak) to dominant strains (very frequent during an outbreak). This suggests that the minor strains may act as a springboard for the …

Development Of A Multiplex Pcr Detection System And Identification Of Binding Peptides For Human Plasmodium Species / Chew Ching Hoong, Ching Hoong Chew

Student Works (2010-2019)

Malaria is one of the most serious global health challenges. Approximately 3.3 billion people live in malaria-endemic areas and the disease threatens the lives of more than one-third of the world’s population. Malaria is caused by an eukaryotic protozoa Plasmodium and transmitted through the bite of female Anopheles mosquito. The known causative agents of human malaria include Plasmodium vivax, P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale, and recently included P. knowlesi which is recognized as a zoonotic parasite. Malaria is a treatable disease, however the disease can become severe, leading to morbidity if untreated, especially for infections by two potential fatal …

Demand Side Influences On The Consumption Of Alcohol, Tobacco And Physical Activity In Malaysia / Cheah Yong Kang, Yong Kang Cheah

Student Works (2010-2019)

In light of alarming evidence of non-communicable diseases and solvable health risk factors, the aim of this study is to examine the relationship between health affecting variables, and demand for alcohol, tobacco and physical activity among adults in Malaysia. Data from the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS III) consisting of 30992 respondents and detailed information on individual’s socio-demographic, health and lifestyle profiles is deployed for this purpose. Logit models are applied to examine the factors that influence individuals’ likelihood of consuming alcohol, tobacco and being physically active. The results show that age, income, gender, ethnicity, education, marital status, …

Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes And The Predictors For Survival Of Tb/Hiv Co-Infected Patients In The Klang Valley, Malaysia / Ismawati Binti Ismail, Ismawati Ismail

Student Works (2010-2019)

Background: Tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus (TB/HIV) co-infection are important global public health problems. Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common opportunistic infection and the leading cause of death in HIV-infected patients. Co-infection with TB and HIV is a situation that is becoming rampant worldwide and Malaysia is no exception. However, there are no substantial data concerning the co-infection of both diseases in this country. Objectives: To determine the risk factors for defaulters of TB treatment and predictors of death among TB/HIV co-infected patients in Malaysia. Methods: Medical records at the time of TB diagnosis and subsequent follow-up of all newly …

Effects Of Exploitation On An Overabundant Species: The Lesser Snow Goose Predicament, David N. Koons

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

1. Invasive and overabundant species are an increasing threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning world-wide. As such, large amounts of money are spent each year on attempts to control them. These efforts can, however, be thwarted if exploitation is compensated demographically or if populations simply become too numerous for management to elicit an effective and rapid functional response.
2. We examined the influence of these mechanisms on cause-specific mortality in lesser snow geese using multistate capture–reencounter methods. The abundance and destructive foraging behaviours of snow geese have created a trophic cascade that reduces (sub-) Arctic plant, insect and avian biodiversity, bestowing them …

Inactivation By Uv-Radiation And Internalization Of Coliforms And Escherichia Coli In Aquaponically And Hydroponically Grown Lettuce, Matthew J. Moriarty

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent studies have shown that coliform bacteria, specifically Escherichia coli O157:H7, can internalize in leafy green produce. Therefore, a risk exists for lettuce being grown in systems using mixed water sources. Additionally, Ultra Violet light radiation has been shown to inactivate coliforms in water. For this reason, an experiment was conducted at West Virginia University's aquaculture facility to determine the effect of UV-radiation in water supplying an aquaponic channel with nutrients, and to assess the risk of coliform and E. coli internalization. In this experiment, the spring fed, flow-through aquaponic system was receiving runoff from cattle pastures as a source …

Dna From Chewed Vegetation: A Noninvasive Collection Strategy For Golden-Handed Tamarins (Saguinus Midas), Jennifer E. Humphreys

All Master's Theses

Noninvasive genetic sampling was first used in wild animals more than two decades ago, although since that time there have been advancements in both sampling strategies and amplification technology [Hoss et al., 1992; Taberlet and Bouvet, 1992]. Feces, hair, and urine are examples of biomaterials that are collected noninvasively [Beja-Pereira et al., 2009]. These materials provide clear advantages over the more invasive DNA sampling techniques such as blood collection; researchers can study nonhuman subjects without contacting, disturbing, or even seeing them. This advantage becomes greater in habitats disturbed by human activities such as agriculture or mining. The Republic of Suriname, …

Novel Interdisciplinary Approaches To Understanding Kidney Transplantation Outcomes, Neel Butala

Yale Medicine Thesis Digital Library

This thesis details 2 studies using novel approaches to understand kidney transplant outcomes: instrumental variables and social network analysis. Together, these studies demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary approaches to advance the field of kidney transplantation.

While some studies have found an association between delayed graft function (DGF) after kidney transplantation and worse long-term outcomes, a causal relationship remains controversial. In our first study, we investigate this relationship using an instrumental variables model (IVM), a quasi-randomization technique for drawing causal inferences. We identified 73,714 adult, deceased-donor, kidney-only transplant recipients from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) between 1997 and 2010. …

Prevalence Of Significant Liver Fibrosis In Patients With Hiv Monoinfection Compared To Those With Hiv-Hepatitis B Coinfection As Assessed By Shear Wave Elastography, Samuel Nguku

Master of Medicine in Imaging and Diagnostic Radiology

Background: Liver disease is an emerging management problem in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients. The incidence of chronic Hepatitis B infection, which accelerates the progression of chronic liver disease and development of liver fibrosis, is ten times higher in patients with HIV than the general population. Staging of liver fibrosis provides essential information in management of these patients. Objective: To determine the prevalence of significant liver fibrosis in patients with HIV mono-infection versus those with HIV-HBV co-infection as assessed with shear wave elastography (SWE). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study whereby HIV infected patients attending the HIV clinic at …

Gestational And Pregestational Diabetes In The Eastern Mediterranean Region: A Meta-Analysis Of Maternal And Fetal Outcomes, Saulat Jahan

Harold L. Hodgkinson Award for Outstanding Dissertation

Pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including increased caesarean section rates, macrosomia, and perinatal mortality. Despite the high prevalence of GDM and PGDM in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), most of the published studies examining the association between GDM/PGDM and adverse pregnancy outcomes have small sample sizes, low statistical power, and few adverse outcomes with conflicting results. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of GDM/PGDM with adverse pregnancy outcomes among women in the EMR, by using a meta-analysis research design. Following the conceptual model of the epidemiologic …

Detection The Frequency Of Per-1 Type Extended-Spectrum Ss-Lactamase-Producing Acinetobacter Baumannii Clinical Isolates In Turkey: A Multicenter Study, Gülşah Aşik, Mehmet Özdemi̇r, Muhammet Güzel Kurtoğlu, Server Yağci, Lütfi̇ye Öksüz, Mustafa Gül, Mücahi̇de Esra Koçoğlu, Emel Sesli̇ Çeti̇n, Adnan Seyrek, Mustafa Berktaş, Ahmet Ayyildiz, İhsan Hakki Çi̇ftci̇

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

\beta-Lactamases are an important resistance mechanism in Acinetobacter baumannii. Pseudomonas extended-resistance (PER-1) type \beta-lactamase-producing strains have been reported from various geographic locations; however, PER-1 type \beta-lactamases from Turkish hospitals have not been investigated extensively. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of PER-1 type \beta-lactamases in A. baumannii isolates in various regions of Turkey. Materials and methods: A total of 763 clinical A. baumannii isolates were collected from 9 university hospitals and 2 state hospitals between 2008 and 2011. Molecular amplification of the OXA-51 gene from the A. baumannii genome was performed in order to verify identification …

The Comparison Of Pandemic H1n1 Igg Levels Between H1n1 Influenza-Vaccinated Healthcare Workers And Unvaccinated Healthcare Workers, Aydin Çi̇fci̇, Özlem Erol, Sali̇h Cesur, Nurkan Aksoy, Üçler Kisa

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To compare pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) IgG antibody levels between healthcare workers who were vaccinated with the pH1N1 influenza vaccine and the unvaccinated healthcare workers who were selected as the control group. Materials and methods: A total of 68 healthcare workers were included in this study. Of those, 53 were adults vaccinated with the H1N1 influenza vaccine and 15 were unvaccinated. Serum samples were parsed and stored at -40 °C until they were examined. Results: Of the total 53 vaccinated healthcare workers, 16 (30.1%) were positive for IgG antibodies (titer > 11), 17 (32.0%) were negative for IgG antibodies (titer < 9), and 20 (37.7%) were borderline (titer: 9-11). Of the 15 unvaccinated healthcare workers, 1 (6.6%) was positive for IgG antibodies, 11 (73.3%) were negative for IgG antibodies, and the remaining 3 (20.0%) had borderline values (P = 0.014, P < 0.05). In both groups, there was no statistically significant difference between IgG-negative, IgG-positive, and borderline subjects in terms of age or sex. Conclusion: The IgG antibody level was higher in the vaccinated healthcare workers than among the unvaccinated healthcare workers.

Evaluation Report Of Pediatric Intensive Care Units In Turkey, Benan Bayrakci, Selman Kesi̇ci̇, Tanil Kendi̇rli̇, Gökhan Kalkan, Aydin Sari, Necvan Tokmak, Gökmen Yilmaz, Orkun Baloğlu, İrfan Şencan

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To collect data from throughout Turkey in order to facilitate the organization of pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), and to develop short-term immediate action plans and draft long-term strategic plans. Materials and methods: A total of 35 specialists including 17 pediatric critical care (PCC) specialists, 9 PCC fellows in training, and 9 pediatricians working in PICUs evaluated PICUs and their infrastructures, mortality rates, appropriateness of indications for PICU admissions, PICU bed numbers, and utilization of those PICU beds. Results: PICU bed numbers, PCC specialist numbers, and PICU nurse numbers are insufficient in Turkey. The high percentage of inappropriate and inefficient …

The Midgut Bacterial Flora Of The Hard Tick Hyalomma Anatolicum (Acari: Ixodidae) From South India As Determined By Molecular Analyses, Sankarappan Anbalagan, Vimalanathan Arun Prasanna, Mani Kannan, Muthukalingan Krishnan

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The midgut bacterial flora of post-blood meal and starved or digested blood meal of hard ticks (Hyalomma anatolicum) from goats were analyzed using BOX PCR, ERIC PCR and 16S rDNA gene sequencing. BOX PCR and ERIC PCR showed dissimilar band patterns between microbial isolates from the midgut of the ticks. In total, 9 bacterial species belonging to 2 genera (Bacillus and Staphylococcus) were identified in the midgut of both types (post-blood meal and digested blood meal) of tick by using 16S rDNA gene sequencing. The majority of the midgut bacterial species were Staphylococcus sp. (90%) and there was a high …

Clinical Presentation And Ultrasonographic Findings In Buffaloes With Congestive Heart Failure, Hussein Awad Hussein, Rudolf Staufenbiel

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The objective of this retrospective study was to describe the clinical presentation and ultrasonographic findings in water buffaloes suffering from congestive heart failure. Fifty-three buffaloes with congestive heart failure, which was confirmed postmortem, were included. The final diagnoses were traumatic pericarditis (n = 38) and vegetative endocarditis (n = 15). Ten healthy buffaloes were enrolled in this study as controls. The main clinical presentations were those related to right-sided congestive heart failure including peripheral edema, venous distension and jugular pulsation, and a sharp drop in milk yield. Only 5 buffaloes exhibited signs of left-sided heart failure. Ultrasonographic examinations showed cardiac …

Increasing Resistance Of Nosocomial Acinetobacter Baumannii: Are We Going To Be Defeated?, Tümer Güven, Gülruhsar Yilmaz, Hati̇ce Rahmet Güner, Ayşe Kaya Kalem, Fatma Eser, Mehmet Akin Taşyaran

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

To investigate the change of the antibiotic resistance profiles of the nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii isolates in intensive care units (ICUs) between the years 2008 and 2011. Materials and methods: A. baumannii isolates that were responsible for ICU-acquired nosocomial infections between 2008 and 2011 were included in the study. The susceptibility rates of the antibiotics that are mainly used in the treatment of Acinetobacter infections were compared by years. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute criteria were used to determine antimicrobial susceptibility. Results: There were 252 infection episodes detected in 229 hospitalized patients in the ICU that were caused by A. baumannii. …

Acute Q Fever Among Febrile Patients In Zahedan, Southeastern Iran, Maliheh Metanat, Nahid Sepehri Rad, Roya Alavi-Naini, Shahram Shahreki, Batool Sharifi-Mood, Aida Akhavan, Zahra Poormotaseri

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

So far, few studies have been conducted on Q fever in Iran. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of acute Q fever in febrile patients admitted to Boo-Ali Hospital in Zahedan (southeastern Iran). Materials and methods: In this study, 105 febrile patients suspected of having brucellosis were examined using indirect immunofluorescent assay kit for the detection of Coxiella burnetii IgM and IgG phase antibodies in their serum. Serum with a phase II IgG titer of =>256 and a phase II IgM titer of =>50 was predictive for acute Q fever. Additionally, a 4-fold rise …

An Investigation Of Pulmonary Findings Of Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever Patients, Gülden Bi̇lgi̇n, Çi̇ğdem Ataman Hati̇poğlu, Şeri̇fe Altun, Cemal Bulut, Sami̇ Kinikli, Ali̇ Pekcan Demi̇röz

Turkish Journal of Medical Sciences

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) generally affects many organs. In this study a retrospective evaluation of the pulmonary findings of CCHF patients was made. Materials and methods: The records of patients were retrospectively analysed. For each patient an evaluation was made of age, sex, occupation, place of residence, contact with ticks, smoking history, and pulmonary radiological and laboratory findings. A confirmed diagnosis of CCHF was made on determination by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or polymerase chain reaction. Results: Of the 128 patients, 48.4% were female. Symptoms of coughing were determined in 18% of patients, sputum in 4.7%, chest pain in 3.9%, dyspnoea …

The Use Of Dna Sequencing To Discover Novel Pathogens Of Aquatic Invertebrates With Focus On Mosquitoes (Culicidae), Dale Robert Jansons

All Master's Theses

The use of DNA sequencing to discover fungal pathogens of aquatic invertebrates, including mosquito larvae, was explored. Mosquito-borne diseases kill millions of people every year, mostly children. One method used to control the spread of mosquito-borne diseases has been to use mosquito-killing fungi to reduce mosquito populations. Locating and identifying pathogens of mosquitoes can be difficult, but with phylum specific primers, novel pathogens can be found, identified, and compared to known isolates without rearing mosquitoes, setting baited traps for pathogens, or culturing microbes associated with mosquito larvae. Mosquito larvae and other aquatic invertebrates were subjected to PCR and DNA sequencing …

Ecosystem Community Health Initiatives And Care Of Creation, Warren A. Shipton

Journal of the Adventist Theological Society

No abstract provided.

Evaluation And Integration Of Genetic Signature For Prediction Risk Of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma In Southern China, Xiuchan Guo, Cheryl Winkler, Ji Li, Li Guan, Minzhong Tang, Jian Liao, Hong Deng, Guy De The, Yi Zeng, Stephen J. O'Brien

Biology Faculty Articles

Genetic factors, as well as environmental factors, play a role in development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). A number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported to be associated with NPC. To confirm these genetic associations with NPC, two independent case-control studies from Southern China comprising 1166 NPC cases and 2340 controls were conducted. Seven SNPs in ITGA9 at 3p21.3 and 9 SNPs within the 6p21.3 HLA region were genotyped. To explore the potential clinical application of these genetic markers in NPC, we further evaluate the predictive/diagnostic role of significant SNPs by calculating the area under the curve (AUC). Results …

Design And Evaluation Of 5′-O-Dicarboxylic And Polyarginine Fatty Acyl Derivatives Of Anti-Hiv Nucleosides, Bhanu Priya Pemmaraju Venkata

Open Access Master's Theses

2′,3′-Dideoxynucleoside (ddNs) analogs are the most widely used anti-HIV drugs in the market. Even though these drugs display very potent activities, they have a number of limitations when are used as therapeutic agents. The primary problem associated with ddNs is significant toxicity, such as neuropathy and bone marrow suppression. Due to their hydrophilic nature, they have poor cellular uptake. Some of these nucleoside analogs develop resistance over a period of time. Furthermore, these analogs themselves are not pharmacologically active, and undergo three-step phosphorylation in order to become active. Of these steps, the first step is usually a slow and rate-limiting …

The Role Of Viable But Non-Infectious Developmental Forms In Chlamydial Biology, Nicole Borel, Andreas Pospischil, Alan P. Hudson, Jan Rupp, Robert V. Schoborg

ETSU Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of White-Tailed Deer Visits To Cattle Farms: Implications For Disease Transmission At The Wildlife-Livestock Interface, Are R. Berentsen, Ryan S. Miller, Jennifer L. Malmberg, Mike R. Dunbar

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is endemic in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in MI, USA. Currently, the rates of farm visitation by deer and co-use of forage resources by cattle and deer are poorly understood. To evaluate the extent deer and livestock may share forage resources, we investigated farm, yard, and cattle-use area visitation by white-tailed deer and compared visitation with common livestock management practices. We fitted 25 female white-tailed deer near the bTB-infected zone in Michigan's Lower Peninsula with global positioning system collars. Livestock management practices associated with farm visitation included presence of confined feeding pastures, number of cattle water …

Crossing The Interspecies Barrier: Opening The Door To Zoonotic Pathogens, Christian Gortazar, Leslie A. Reperant, Thijs Kuiken, Jose De La Fuente, Mariana Boadella, Beatriz Martinez-Lopez, Francisco Ruiz-Fons, Agusitn Estrada-Pena, Christian Drosten, Graham Medley, Richard Ostfeld, Townsend Peterson, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Christian Menge, Marc Artois, Constance Schultsz, Richard Delahay, Jordi Sierra-Cobo, Robert Poulin, Frederic Keck, Alonso A. Aguirre, Heikki Henttonen, Andrew P. Dobson, Susan Kutz, Juan Lubroth, Atle Mysterud

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The number of pathogens known to infect humans is ever increasing. Whether such increase reflects improved surveillance and detection or actual emergence of novel pathogens is unclear. Nonetheless, infectious diseases are the second leading cause of human mortality and disability-adjusted life years lost worldwide [1,2]. On average, three to four new pathogen species are detected in the human population every year [3]. Most of these emerging pathogens originate from nonhuman animal species. Zoonotic pathogens represent approximately 60% of all known pathogens able to infect humans [4]. Their occurrence in humans relies on the human-animal interface, defined as the continuum of …

Diffusion Of Influenza Viruses Among Migratory Birds With A Focus On The Southwest United States, Matthew Scotch, Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam, Kristy L. Pabilonia, Theodore Anderson, John Baroch, Dennis Kohler, Thomas J. Deliberto

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The Southwest United States, including Arizona and New Mexico, has a diverse climate and is home to many different avian species. We sequenced the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of twenty influenza specimens for the years 2007–2009. This included four from Arizona, and sixteen from New Mexico. We analyzed the sequences and determined the following HA subtypes: H3, H4, H6, H8, and H11. For each subtype, we combined our virus sequences with those from a public database, and inferred phylogeographic models of influenza diffusion. Statistical phylogeography indicated that overall evolutionary diffusion of avian influenza viruses is geographically structured (p < 0.05). In addition, we found that diffusion to the Southwest was often from nearby states including California. For H3, H4 and H6, the intra-flyway gene flow rates were significantly (p < 0.001) higher than those of inter-flyway. Such rate difference was also observed in H8 and H11, yet, without statistical significance (p = 0.132, p = 0.190, respectively). Excluding any one flyway from the calculation generated similar results, suggesting that such barrier effect on gene flow rates is not exclusively produced by any single flyway. We also calculated the Bayes factor test for the significant non-zero rates between states and identified significant routes both within and across flyways. Such inter-flyway spread of influenza was probably the result of birds from four flyways co-mingling on breeding grounds in northern regions or marshaling on staging areas post breeding in Canada or Alaska, before moving south each fall. This study provides an initial analysis of evolutionary diffusion of avian influenza virus to and from the Southwest United States. However, more sequences from this region need to be generated to determine the role of host migration and other factors on influenza diffusion.