Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/12/23-0464_article
Volume 29, Number 12—December 2023
Research
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Clade 2.3.4.4b Infections in Wild Terrestrial Mammals, United States, 2022
Elizabeth J. ElsmoComments to Author , Arno Wünschmann, Kimberlee B. Beckmen, Liam E. Broughton-Neiswanger, Elizabeth L. Buckles, Jayne Ellis, Scott D. Fitzgerald, Robert Gerlach, Shawna Hawkins, Hon S. Ip, Julia S. Lankton, Erin M. Lemley, Julianna B. Lenoch, Mary L. Killian, Kristina Lantz, Lindsey Long, Roger Maes, Marta Mainenti, Julie Melotti, Megan E. Moriarty, Shotaro Nakagun, Rachel M. Ruden, Valerie Shearn-Bochsler, Danielle Thompson, Mia K. Torchetti, Arnaud J. Van Wettere, Annabel G. Wise, and Ailam L. Lim
Author affiliations: University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin, USA (E.J. Elsmo, S. Hawkins, E.M. Lemley, A.L. Lim); Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, USA (E.J. Elsmo, A.L. Lim); Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (A. Wünschmann); Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA (K.B. Beckmen); Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Pullman, Washington, USA (L.E. Broughton-Neiswanger); New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Ithaca, New York, USA (E.L. Buckles, S. Nakagun); Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Lansing, Michigan, USA (J. Ellis, S.D. Fitzgerald, R. Maes, D. Thompson, A.G. Wise); Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Anchorage, Alaska, USA (R. Gerlach); National Wildlife Health Center, Madison (H.S. Ip, J.S. Lankton, V. Shearn-Bochsler); Dane County Humane Society’s Wildlife Center, Madison (E.M. Lemley); US Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (J.B. Lenoch); US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Ames, Iowa, USA (M.L. Killian, K. Lantz, M.K. Torchetti); Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison (L. Long); Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Ames, Iowa, USA (M.E. Mainenti, R.M. Ruden); Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lansing (J. Melotti, M.E. Moriarty); Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Ames (R.M. Ruden); Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Logan, Utah, USA (A.J. Van Wettere)
Abstract
We describe the pathology of natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI A(H5N1) virus of Eurasian lineage Goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b in 67 wild terrestrial mammals throughout the United States during April 1‒July 21, 2022. Affected mammals include 50 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 6 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), 4 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 2 bobcats (Lynx rufus), 2 Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), 1 coyote (Canis latrans), 1 fisher (Pekania pennanti), and 1 gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Infected mammals showed primarily neurologic signs. Necrotizing meningoencephalitis, interstitial pneumonia, and myocardial necrosis were the most common lesions; however, species variations in lesion distribution were observed. Genotype analysis of sequences from 48 animals indicates that these cases represent spillover infections from wild birds.
Since October 2021, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus belonging to A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage H5 clade 2.3.4.4b have been reported throughout Europe (1). Transatlantic spread of HPAI H5N1 virus with genetic similarity to Eurasian lineages was detected in the United States in December 2021 and has subsequently spread throughout the continental United States in wild birds and domestic poultry (2‒6).
In addition to disease outbreaks in domestic poultry, currently circulating HPAI H5N1 virus is persisting in wild bird reservoirs, with multiple reports of spillover into and clinical infection in various mammal species in countries in Europe during 2021 (1,3,7). We report a case series on the pathology of natural infections with HPAI H5N1 virus in terrestrial wild mammals in the United States concurrent with high levels of circulating HPAI viruses in wild birds during the spring and summer of 2022...
Volume 29, Number 12—December 2023
Research
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Clade 2.3.4.4b Infections in Wild Terrestrial Mammals, United States, 2022
Elizabeth J. ElsmoComments to Author , Arno Wünschmann, Kimberlee B. Beckmen, Liam E. Broughton-Neiswanger, Elizabeth L. Buckles, Jayne Ellis, Scott D. Fitzgerald, Robert Gerlach, Shawna Hawkins, Hon S. Ip, Julia S. Lankton, Erin M. Lemley, Julianna B. Lenoch, Mary L. Killian, Kristina Lantz, Lindsey Long, Roger Maes, Marta Mainenti, Julie Melotti, Megan E. Moriarty, Shotaro Nakagun, Rachel M. Ruden, Valerie Shearn-Bochsler, Danielle Thompson, Mia K. Torchetti, Arnaud J. Van Wettere, Annabel G. Wise, and Ailam L. Lim
Author affiliations: University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin, USA (E.J. Elsmo, S. Hawkins, E.M. Lemley, A.L. Lim); Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin, USA (E.J. Elsmo, A.L. Lim); Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (A. Wünschmann); Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA (K.B. Beckmen); Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Pullman, Washington, USA (L.E. Broughton-Neiswanger); New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Ithaca, New York, USA (E.L. Buckles, S. Nakagun); Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Lansing, Michigan, USA (J. Ellis, S.D. Fitzgerald, R. Maes, D. Thompson, A.G. Wise); Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Anchorage, Alaska, USA (R. Gerlach); National Wildlife Health Center, Madison (H.S. Ip, J.S. Lankton, V. Shearn-Bochsler); Dane County Humane Society’s Wildlife Center, Madison (E.M. Lemley); US Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (J.B. Lenoch); US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Ames, Iowa, USA (M.L. Killian, K. Lantz, M.K. Torchetti); Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison (L. Long); Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Ames, Iowa, USA (M.E. Mainenti, R.M. Ruden); Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lansing (J. Melotti, M.E. Moriarty); Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Ames (R.M. Ruden); Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Logan, Utah, USA (A.J. Van Wettere)
Abstract
We describe the pathology of natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI A(H5N1) virus of Eurasian lineage Goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b in 67 wild terrestrial mammals throughout the United States during April 1‒July 21, 2022. Affected mammals include 50 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 6 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), 4 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 2 bobcats (Lynx rufus), 2 Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), 1 coyote (Canis latrans), 1 fisher (Pekania pennanti), and 1 gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Infected mammals showed primarily neurologic signs. Necrotizing meningoencephalitis, interstitial pneumonia, and myocardial necrosis were the most common lesions; however, species variations in lesion distribution were observed. Genotype analysis of sequences from 48 animals indicates that these cases represent spillover infections from wild birds.
Since October 2021, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus belonging to A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage H5 clade 2.3.4.4b have been reported throughout Europe (1). Transatlantic spread of HPAI H5N1 virus with genetic similarity to Eurasian lineages was detected in the United States in December 2021 and has subsequently spread throughout the continental United States in wild birds and domestic poultry (2‒6).
In addition to disease outbreaks in domestic poultry, currently circulating HPAI H5N1 virus is persisting in wild bird reservoirs, with multiple reports of spillover into and clinical infection in various mammal species in countries in Europe during 2021 (1,3,7). We report a case series on the pathology of natural infections with HPAI H5N1 virus in terrestrial wild mammals in the United States concurrent with high levels of circulating HPAI viruses in wild birds during the spring and summer of 2022...