Wild migratory birds are associated with global avian influenza virus (AIV) spread. Although direct contact with wild birds and contaminated fomites is unlikely in modern non-free range poultry farms applying biosecurity measures, AIV outbreaks still occur. This suggests involvement of other intermediate factors for virus transmission between wild birds and poultry. This review describes current evidence of the potential role of rodents in AIV transmission from wild birds to poultry and between poultry houses. Rodents can be abundant around poultry houses, share their habitat with waterfowl and can readily enter poultry houses. Survival of AIV from waterfowl in poultry house surroundings and on the coat of rodents suggests that rodents are likely to act as mechanical vector. AIVs can replicate in rodents without adaptation, resulting in high viral titres in lungs and nasal turbinates, virus presence in nasal washes and saliva, and transmission to naïve contact animals. Therefore, active AIV shedding by infected rodents may play a role in transmission to poultry. Further field and experimental studies are needed to provide evidence for a role of rodents in AIV epidemiology. Making poultry houses rodent-proof and the immediate surroundings unattractive for rodents are recommended as preventive measures against possible AIV introduction.

野生候鸟与全球禽流感病毒（AIV）传播有关。尽管在采用生物安全措施的现代非自由放养家禽养殖场中不太可能与野鸟和受污染的螨虫直接接触，但仍会发生AIV暴发。这表明其他中间因素也参与了野生鸟类和家禽之间的病毒传播。这篇综述描述了啮齿动物在禽流感病毒从野禽到禽类以及禽舍之间传播的潜在作用的当前证据。啮齿动物在禽舍周围可能很丰富，可以与水禽共享栖息地，并且可以轻易进入禽舍。水禽在禽舍环境中和在啮齿动物外皮上的AIV存活表明，啮齿动物很可能充当机械媒介。AIV可以在啮齿动物中复制而无需适应，导致肺和鼻甲的病毒滴度很高，鼻洗液和唾液中存在病毒，并传播给幼稚的接触动物。因此，被感染的啮齿动物引起的主动AIV脱落可能会传播到家禽中。需要进一步的领域和实验研究，以提供证据证明啮齿动物在AIV流行病学中的作用。建议使家禽舍防啮齿动物和周围环境对啮齿动物没有吸引力，以作为防止可能引入禽流感的预防措施。