First detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Norway

Abstract Background Several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) caused by influenza A virus of subtype H5N8 have been reported in wild birds and poultry in Europe during autumn 2020. Norway is one of the few countries in Europe that had not previously detected HPAI virus, despite widespread active monitoring of both domestic and wild birds since 2005. Results We report detection of HPAI virus subtype H5N8 in a wild pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus), and several other geese, ducks and a gull, from south-western Norway in November and December 2020. Despite previous reports of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI), this constitutes the first detections of HPAI in Norway. Conclusions The mode of introduction is unclear, but a northward migration of infected geese or gulls from Denmark or the Netherlands during the autumn of 2020 is currently our main hypothesis for the introduction of HPAI to Norway. The presence of HPAI in wild birds constitutes a new, and ongoing, threat to the Norwegian poultry industry, and compliance with the improved biosecurity measures on poultry farms should therefore be ensured. [MK1]Finally, although HPAI of subtype H5N8 has been reported to have very low zoonotic potential, this is a reminder that HPAI with greater zoonotic potential in wild birds may pose a threat in the future. [MK1]Updated with a sentence emphasizing the risk HPAI pose to poultry farms, both in the Abstract and in the Conclusion-section in main text, as suggested by Reviewer 1 (#7).

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First Detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus in Norway

10.21203/rs.3.rs-139948/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Knut Madslien ◽

Torfinn Moldal ◽

Britt Gjerset ◽

Sveinn Gudmundsson ◽

Arne Follestad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza A ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Zoonotic Potential ◽

Active Monitoring ◽

Main Hypothesis ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Anser Brachyrhynchus

Abstract Background: Several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) caused by influenza A virus of subtype H5N8 have been reported in wild birds and poultry in Europe during autumn 2020.Norway is one of the few countries in Europe that had not previously detected HPAI virus, despite widespread active monitoring of both domestic and wild birds since 2005.Results: We report detection of HPAI virus subtype H5N8 in a wild pink-footed goose (Anser brachyrhynchus), and several other geese, ducks and a gull, from south-western Norway in November and December 2020. Despite previous reports of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI), this constitutes the first detections of HPAI in Norway.Conclusions: The mode of introduction is unclear, but a northward migration of infected geese or gulls from Denmark or the Netherlands during the autumn of 2020 is currently our main hypothesis for the introduction of HPAI to Norway. Although HPAI of subtype H5N8 has been reported to have very low zoonotic potential, this is a reminder that HPAI with greater zoonotic potential in wild birds may pose a threat in the future.

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Pathologic Changes in Wild Birds Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Viruses, South Korea, 2014

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

10.3201/eid2105.141967 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 775-780 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Hye-Ryoung Kim ◽

Yong-Kuk Kwon ◽

Il Jang ◽

Youn-Jeong Lee ◽

Hyun-Mi Kang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

South Korea ◽

Influenza A ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza

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Genetically Divergent Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Viruses in Wild Birds, Eastern China

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

10.3201/eid2711.204893 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (11) ◽

pp. 2940-2943

Author(s):

Guimei He ◽

Le Ming ◽

Xiang Li ◽

Yuhe Song ◽

Ling Tang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza A ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Eastern China ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza

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Deaths among Wild Birds during Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus Outbreak, the Netherlands

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

10.3201/eid2312.171086 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (12) ◽

pp. 2050-2054 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Erik Kleyheeg ◽

Roy Slaterus ◽

Rogier Bodewes ◽

Jolianne M. Rijks ◽

Marcel A.H. Spierenburg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza A ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

H5n8 Virus

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Genetic characterization of highly pathogenic avian influenza A H5N8 viruses isolated from wild birds in Egypt

Journal of General Virology ◽

10.1099/jgv.0.000847 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 98 (7) ◽

pp. 1573-1586 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Ahmed Kandeil ◽

Ahmed Kayed ◽

Yassmin Moatasim ◽

Richard J. Webby ◽

Pamela P. McKenzie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza A ◽

Genetic Characterization ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza

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Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N6) Virus Clade 2.3.4.4h in Wild Birds and Live Poultry Markets, Bangladesh

Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽

10.3201/eid2709.210819 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 27 (9) ◽

pp. 2492-2494

Author(s):

Jasmine C.M. Turner ◽

Subrata Barman ◽

Mohammed M. Feeroz ◽

M. Kamrul Hasan ◽

Sharmin Akhtar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza A ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Live Poultry ◽

Live Poultry Markets

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Re-current Epizootics of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Nigeria: Status of Vaccination as Alternate control

Nigerian Veterinary Journal ◽

10.4314/nvj.v41i1.2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 7-17

Author(s):

C.A. Meseko ◽

B. Olorunsola ◽

C.A. Chinyere ◽

K. Olawuyi

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza A ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Control Measures ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Commercial Flock ◽

Poultry Farms ◽

Alternate Control

Epizootic of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza subtype H5N1 in Nigeria was successfully contained during the first wave that lasted from 2006 to 2008 without the use of vaccine. Re-current and more severe outbreak was witnessed in 2015 and there are suspicions that some farmers may have resorted to vaccination to prevent infections in their flocks. We investigate evidence of vaccination in farms and the status of vaccination as alternate control for HPAI in Nigeria. The study was carried out in a cross section of 24 commercial poultry farms in four States in South West and North Central Nigeria. Five hundred and one sera collected randomly were screened by agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID) assay for antibody to group specific influenza A nucleoprotein. One hundred and eight sera obtained from five H5N1 infected poultry farms were also concurrently screened. Reactive sera were further analysed by Hemagglutinin Inhibition (HI) test against H5 antigen using 1% suspension of pooled washed chicken red blood cells. Only 8 out of 501 sera (1.6%) had evidence of influenza A antibody. All of the 8 samples were from one farm with 20 samples collected representing 40% seroconversion at farm level. Three out of those sera were positive for H5 at HI titer of 3log2. All other sera including those obtained from HPAI infected farms were negative for influenza antibody. This study confirms limited antibody response to avian influenza subtype H5 most likely due to vaccination in one commercial flock. Vaccination against avian influenza by farmers desperate to protect their investments may lead to unregulated and suboptimal application of vaccines requiring farmers’ and stakeholders’ engagement to forestall negative impact. Keywords: Avian influenza; Control measures; Recurrent outbreaks; Vaccination status.

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Disentangling the role of poultry farms and wild birds in the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N8 in Europe

10.1101/2021.10.22.465255 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Claire Guinat ◽

Cecilia Valenzuela Agui ◽

Timothy G Vaughan ◽

Jeremie Scire ◽

Anne Pohlmann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Avian Influenza ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Virus Spread ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Viral Spread ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

H5n8 Virus ◽

Poultry Farms

Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8 virus in Europe have caused severe damage to animal health, wildlife conservation and livestock economic sustainability. While epidemiological and phylogenetic studies have generated important clues about the virus spread in Europe, they remained opaque to the specific role of poultry farms and wild birds. Using a phylodynamic framework, we inferred the H5N8 virus transmission dynamics among poultry farms and wild birds in four severely affected countries and investigated drivers of spread between farms across borders during the 2016-17 epidemic. Based on existing genetic data, we showed that the virus was likely introduced into poultry farms during the autumn, in line with the timing of arrival of migratory wild birds. Then, transmission was mainly driven by farm-to-farm transmission in Germany, Hungary and Poland, suggesting that better understanding of how infected farms are connected in those countries would greatly help control efforts. In contrast, the epidemic was dominated by wild bird-to-farm transmission in Czech Republic, meaning that more sustainable prevention strategies should be developed to reduce virus exposure from wild birds. We inferred effective reproduction number Re estimates among poultry farms and wild birds. We expect those estimates being useful to parameterize predictive models of virus spread aiming at optimising control strategies. None of the investigated predictors related to live poultry trade, poultry census and geographic proximity were identified as supportive predictors of the viral spread between farms across borders, suggesting that other drivers should be considered in future studies.

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Outbreak Severity of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Viruses Is Inversely Correlated to Polymerase Complex Activity and Interferon Induction

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.00375-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 94 (11) ◽

Author(s):

René M. Vigeveno ◽

Marjolein J. Poen ◽

Edyth Parker ◽

Melle Holwerda ◽

Karen de Haan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

The Netherlands ◽

Avian Influenza ◽

Influenza A ◽

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza ◽

The United States ◽

Wild Birds ◽

Complex Activity ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Polymerase Complex ◽

Pathogenic Avian Influenza

ABSTRACT Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) viruses first emerged in China in 2010 and in 2014 spread throughout Asia and to Europe and the United States via migrating birds. Influenza A(H5N8) viruses were first detected in the Netherlands in 2014 and caused five outbreaks in poultry farms but were infrequently detected in wild birds. In 2016, influenza A(H5N8) viruses were reintroduced into the Netherlands, resulting in eight poultry farm outbreaks. This outbreak resulted in numerous dead wild birds with severe pathology. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the polymerase genes of these viruses had undergone extensive reassortment between outbreaks. Here, we investigated the differences in virulence between the 2014-15 and the 2016-17 outbreaks by characterizing the polymerase complex of influenza A(H5N8) viruses from both outbreaks. We found that viruses from the 2014-15 outbreak had significantly higher polymerase complex activity in both human and avian cell lines than did those from the 2016-17 outbreak. No apparent differences in the balance between transcription and replication of the viral genome were observed. Interestingly, the 2014-15 polymerase complexes induced significantly higher levels of interferon beta (IFN-β) than the polymerase complexes of the 2016-17 outbreak viruses, mediated via retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I). Inoculation of primary duck cells with recombinant influenza A(H5N8) viruses, including viruses with reassorted polymerase complexes, showed that the polymerase complexes from the 2014-15 outbreak induced higher levels of IFN-β despite relatively minor differences in replication capacity. Together, these data suggest that despite the lower levels of polymerase activity, the higher 2016-17 influenza A(H5N8) virus virulence may be attributed to the lower level of activation of the innate immune system. IMPORTANCE Compared to the 2014-15 outbreak, the 2016-17 outbreak of influenza A(H5N8) viruses in the Netherlands and Europe was more virulent; the number of dead or diseased wild birds found and the severity of pathological changes were higher during the 2016-17 outbreak. The polymerase complex plays an important role in influenza virus virulence, and the gene segments of influenza A(H5N8) viruses reassorted extensively between the outbreaks. In this study, the 2014-15 polymerase complexes were found to be more active, which is counterintuitive with the observed higher virulence of the 2016-17 outbreak viruses. Interestingly, the 2014-15 polymerase complexes also induced higher levels of IFN-β. These findings suggest that the higher virulence of influenza A(H5N8) viruses from the 2016-17 outbreak may be related to the lower induction of IFN-β. An attenuated interferon response could lead to increased dissemination, pathology, and mortality, as observed in (wild) birds infected during the 2016-2017 outbreak.

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