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Zeng J, Du F, Xiao L, Sun H, Lu L, Lei W, Zheng J, Wang L, Shu S, Li Y, Zhang Q, Tang K, Sun Q, Zhang C, Long H, Qiu Z, Zhai K, Li Z, Zhang G, Sun Y, Wang D, Zhang Z, Lycett SJ, Gao GF, Shu Y, Liu J, Du X, Pu J. Spatiotemporal genotype replacement of H5N8 avian influenza viruses contributed to H5N1 emergence in 2021/2022 panzootic. J Virol 2024; 98:e0140123. [PMID: 38358287 PMCID: PMC10949427 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01401-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Since 2020, clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N8 and H5N1 viruses have swept through continents, posing serious threats to the world. Through comprehensive analyses of epidemiological, genetic, and bird migration data, we found that the dominant genotype replacement of the H5N8 viruses in 2020 contributed to the H5N1 outbreak in the 2021/2022 wave. The 2020 outbreak of the H5N8 G1 genotype instead of the G0 genotype produced reassortment opportunities and led to the emergence of a new H5N1 virus with G1's HA and MP genes. Despite extensive reassortments in the 2021/2022 wave, the H5N1 virus retained the HA and MP genes, causing a significant outbreak in Europe and North America. Furtherly, through the wild bird migration flyways investigation, we found that the temporal-spatial coincidence between the outbreak of the H5N8 G1 virus and the bird autumn migration may have expanded the H5 viral spread, which may be one of the main drivers of the emergence of the 2020-2022 H5 panzootic.IMPORTANCESince 2020, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 subtype variants of clade 2.3.4.4b have spread across continents, posing unprecedented threats globally. However, the factors promoting the genesis and spread of H5 HPAI viruses remain unclear. Here, we found that the spatiotemporal genotype replacement of H5N8 HPAI viruses contributed to the emergence of the H5N1 variant that caused the 2021/2022 panzootic, and the viral evolution in poultry of Egypt and surrounding area and autumn bird migration from the Russia-Kazakhstan region to Europe are important drivers of the emergence of the 2020-2022 H5 panzootic. These findings provide important targets for early warning and could help control the current and future HPAI epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinfeng Zeng
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fanshu Du
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Linna Xiao
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Honglei Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Lu
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Weipan Lei
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jialu Zheng
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lu Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Sicheng Shu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yudong Li
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kang Tang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qianru Sun
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haoyu Long
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zekai Qiu
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ke Zhai
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhichao Li
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Geli Zhang
- College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yipeng Sun
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Dayan Wang
- National Institute for Viral Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengwang Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Demonstration Center for Experimental Life Sciences & Biotechnology Education, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Samantha J. Lycett
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - George F. Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Yuelong Shu
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, Institute of Pathogen Biology of Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS)/Peking Union Medical College (PUMC), Beijing, China
| | - Jinhua Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Du
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Juan Pu
- National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health and Safety, Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Avian Influenza and Other Major Poultry Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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2
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Baechlein C, Kleinschmidt S, Hartmann D, Kammeyer P, Wöhlke A, Warmann T, Herms L, Kühl B, Beineke A, Wohlsein P, Harder T, Runge M. Neurotropic Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Red Foxes, Northern Germany. Emerg Infect Dis 2023; 29:2509-2512. [PMID: 37987587 PMCID: PMC10683810 DOI: 10.3201/eid2912.230938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In a 1-year survey of wild terrestrial predators in northern Germany, we found that 5 of 110 foxes were infected with contemporary avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses, forming a temporal cluster during January‒March 2023. Encephalitis and strong cerebral virus replication but only sporadic mammalian-adaptive viral polymerase basic 2 protein E627K mutations were seen.
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3
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Bauer L, Benavides FFW, Veldhuis Kroeze EJB, de Wit E, van Riel D. The neuropathogenesis of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5Nx viruses in mammalian species including humans. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:953-970. [PMID: 37684136 PMCID: PMC10591965 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5Nx viruses of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/96 lineage in birds regularly causes infections of mammals, including humans. In many mammalian species, infections are associated with severe neurological disease, a unique feature of HPAI H5Nx viruses compared with other influenza A viruses. Here, we provide an overview of the neuropathogenesis of HPAI H5Nx virus infection in mammals, centered on three aspects: neuroinvasion, neurotropism, and neurovirulence. We focus on in vitro studies, as well as studies on naturally or experimentally infected mammals. Additionally, we discuss the contribution of viral factors to the neuropathogenesis of HPAI H5Nx virus infections and the efficacy of intervention strategies to prevent neuroinvasion or the development of neurological disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Bauer
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Emmie de Wit
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, USA
| | - Debby van Riel
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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4
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Auer A, Panzarin V, Monne I, Crimaudo M, Angot A, Gourlaouen M, Lamien CE, Cattoli G. Comparative assessment of lyophilized and wet reagents for the molecular detection of H5N1 high pathogenic avian influenza virus and H9N2 low pathogenic avian influenza virus. J Virol Methods 2023; 314:114686. [PMID: 36731632 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2023.114686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Global surveillance for Avian Influenza Virus (AIV) in birds is essential for assessing public and animal health risks and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is among the official methods recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) to confirm the presence of the virus in laboratory specimens. Yet, in low-resource setting laboratories, the detection of AIV can be hampered by the need to maintain a cold chain for wet reagents. In such cases, alternatives should be ready to maximize surveillance capacities and mining of AIV. Therefore, we compared two lyophilized RT-qPCR reagents (1st - 5 × CAPITAL™ 1-Step qRT-PCR Probe Reagent, lyophilized kit, and 2nd - Qscript lyo 1-step-kit) to the WOAH recommended protocol by Nagy et al., 2020 using QuantiTect Probe RT-PCR-kit as wet reagent. The comparative study panel comprised 102 RNA samples from two AIV subtypes, i.e. H5 and H9 subtypes. Despite that the wet reagent exhibited the lowest limit of detection (LOD) compared to the two lyophilized reagents, the inter-assay agreement was substantial between the 1st lyophilized reagent and the comparator with 95.1% of shared positive results. Cohen's-kappa was fair between the 2nd lyophilized reagent and the comparator with 75.5% of shared positive results. Agreement using the statistical test Bland-Altman was good for samples with Cq-values < 25 for all reagents, revealing discrepancies when the viral load is low. This trend was especially evident while using the 2nd lyophilized reagent. Similar trends were obtained using the same lyophilized reagents but following the protocol by Heine et al., 2015 with AgPath-ID™ One-Step RT-PCR as a comparator, showing that Cq-values increase using lyophilized reagents but correlate strongly with the wet reagent. Further, inter-assay agreement between reagents improved when the protocol from Heine et al., 2015 was applied, suggesting a higher resilience to chemistry changes allowing easier reagents interchangeability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agathe Auer
- Emergency Prevention System for Animal Health (EMPRES-AH), Animal Health Service (NSAH), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN), Rome, Italy; Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre for Nuclear Applications in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Seibersdorf, Austria.
| | - Valentina Panzarin
- EU/WOAH/National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, FAO Reference Centre for Animal Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Division of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Isabella Monne
- EU/WOAH/National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, FAO Reference Centre for Animal Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Division of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Marika Crimaudo
- EU/WOAH/National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, FAO Reference Centre for Animal Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Division of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Angelique Angot
- Emergency Prevention System for Animal Health (EMPRES-AH), Animal Health Service (NSAH), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN), Rome, Italy
| | - Morgane Gourlaouen
- Emergency Prevention System for Animal Health (EMPRES-AH), Animal Health Service (NSAH), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-UN), Rome, Italy
| | - Charles E Lamien
- Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre for Nuclear Applications in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Seibersdorf, Austria
| | - Giovanni Cattoli
- Animal Production and Health Laboratory, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre for Nuclear Applications in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Seibersdorf, Austria
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5
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Zhang G, Li B, Raghwani J, Vrancken B, Jia R, Hill SC, Fournié G, Cheng Y, Yang Q, Wang Y, Wang Z, Dong L, Pybus OG, Tian H. Bidirectional Movement of Emerging H5N8 Avian Influenza Viruses Between Europe and Asia via Migratory Birds Since Early 2020. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad019. [PMID: 36703230 PMCID: PMC9922686 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Migratory birds play a critical role in the rapid spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 virus clade 2.3.4.4 across Eurasia. Elucidating the timing and pattern of virus transmission is essential therefore for understanding the spatial dissemination of these viruses. In this study, we surveyed >27,000 wild birds in China, tracked the year-round migration patterns of 20 bird species across China since 2006, and generated new HPAI H5N8 virus genomic data. Using this new data set, we investigated the seasonal transmission dynamics of HPAI H5N8 viruses across Eurasia. We found that introductions of HPAI H5N8 viruses to different Eurasian regions were associated with the seasonal migration of wild birds. Moreover, we report a backflow of HPAI H5N8 virus lineages from Europe to Asia, suggesting that Europe acts as both a source and a sink in the global HPAI virus transmission network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guogang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, National Bird Banding Center of China, Beijing, China
| | - Bingying Li
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Center for Global Change and Public Health, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jayna Raghwani
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bram Vrancken
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Evolutionary and Computational Virology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Spatial Epidemiology Lab (SpELL), Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Ru Jia
- Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, National Bird Banding Center of China, Beijing, China
| | - Sarah C Hill
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Guillaume Fournié
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Yanchao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Center for Global Change and Public Health, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiqi Yang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Yuxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Center for Global Change and Public Health, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zengmiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Center for Global Change and Public Health, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Dong
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Oliver G Pybus
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Huaiyu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science, Center for Global Change and Public Health, College of Global Change and Earth System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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6
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Ahrens AK, Selinka HC, Wylezich C, Wonnemann H, Sindt O, Hellmer HH, Pfaff F, Höper D, Mettenleiter TC, Beer M, Harder TC. Investigating Environmental Matrices for Use in Avian Influenza Virus Surveillance-Surface Water, Sediments, and Avian Fecal Samples. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0266422. [PMID: 36700688 PMCID: PMC10100768 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02664-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIV) in wild water bird populations is important for early warning to protect poultry from incursions of high-pathogenicity (HP) AIV. Access to individual water birds is difficult and restricted and limits sampling depth. Here, we focused on environmental samples such as surface water, sediments, and environmentally deposited fresh avian feces as matrices for AIV detection. Enrichment of viral particles by ultrafiltration of 10-L surface water samples using Rexeed-25-A devices was validated using a bacteriophage ϕ6 internal control system, and AIV detection was attempted using real-time RT-PCR and virus isolation. While validation runs suggested an average enrichment of about 60-fold, lower values of 10 to 15 were observed for field water samples. In total 25/36 (60%) of water samples and 18/36 (50%) of corresponding sediment samples tested AIV positive. Samples were obtained from shallow water bodies in habitats with large numbers of waterfowl during an HPAIV epizootic. Although AIV RNA was detected in a substantial percentage of samples virus isolation failed. Virus loads in samples often were too low to allow further sub- and pathotyping. Similar results were obtained with environmentally deposited avian feces. Moreover, the spectrum of viruses detected by these active surveillance methods did not fully mirror an ongoing HPAIV epizootic among waterfowl as detected by passive surveillance, which, in terms of sensitivity, remains unsurpassed. IMPORTANCE Avian influenza viruses (AIV) have a wide host range in the avian metapopulation and, occasionally, transmission to humans also occurs. Surface water plays a particularly important role in the epidemiology of AIV, as the natural virus reservoir is found in aquatic wild birds. Environmental matrices comprising surface water, sediments, and avian fecal matter deposited in the environment were examined for their usefulness in AIV surveillance. Despite virus enrichment efforts, environmental samples regularly revealed very low virus loads, which hampered further sub- and pathotyping. Passive surveillance based on oral and cloacal swabs of diseased and dead wild birds remained unsurpassed with respect to sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Kathrin Ahrens
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | | | - Claudia Wylezich
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | | | - Ole Sindt
- State Laboratory of Schleswig-Holstein, Neumuenster, Germany
| | - Hartmut H. Hellmer
- Climate Sciences, Physical Oceanography of the Polar Seas, Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Florian Pfaff
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Dirk Höper
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | | | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Timm C. Harder
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald-Isle of Riems, Germany
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7
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Ahrens AK, Selinka HC, Mettenleiter TC, Beer M, Harder TC. Exploring surface water as a transmission medium of avian influenza viruses - systematic infection studies in mallards. Emerg Microbes Infect 2022; 11:1250-1261. [PMID: 35473641 PMCID: PMC9090351 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2022.2065937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) are an abundant anseriform migratory wild bird species worldwide and an important reservoir for the maintenance of low pathogenicity (LP) avian influenza viruses (AIV). They have also been implicated in the spread of high pathogenicity (HP) AIV after spill-over events from HPAIV-infected poultry. The spread of HPAIV within wild water bird populations may lead to viral contamination of natural habitats. The role of small shallow water bodies as a transmission medium of AIV among mallards is investigated here in three experimental settings. (i) Delayed onset but rapid progression of infection seeded by two mallards inoculated with either LP or HP AIV to each eight sentinel mallards was observed in groups with access to a small 100 L water pool. In contrast, groups with a bell drinker as the sole source of drinking water showed a rapid onset but lengthened course of infection. (ii) HPAIV infection also set off when virus was dispersed in the water pool; titres as low as 102 TCID50 L-1 (translating to 0.1 TCID50 mL-1) proved to be sufficient. (iii) Substantial loads of viral RNA (and infectivity) were also found on the surface of the birds' breast plumage. "Unloading" of virus infectivity from contaminated plumage into water bodies may be an efficient mechanism of virus spread by infected mallards. However, transposure of HPAIV via the plumage of an uninfected mallard failed. We conclude, surface water in small shallow water bodies may play an important role as a mediator of AIV infection of aquatic wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann Kathrin Ahrens
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Isle of Riems, Germany
| | | | | | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Isle of Riems, Germany
| | - Timm C Harder
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Isle of Riems, Germany
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8
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Pohlmann A, King J, Fusaro A, Zecchin B, Banyard AC, Brown IH, Byrne AMP, Beerens N, Liang Y, Heutink R, Harders F, James J, Reid SM, Hansen RDE, Lewis NS, Hjulsager C, Larsen LE, Zohari S, Anderson K, Bröjer C, Nagy A, Savič V, van Borm S, Steensels M, Briand FX, Swieton E, Smietanka K, Grund C, Beer M, Harder T. Has Epizootic Become Enzootic? Evidence for a Fundamental Change in the Infection Dynamics of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Europe, 2021. mBio 2022; 13:e0060922. [PMID: 35726917 PMCID: PMC9426456 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00609-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic evidence from the recent resurgence of high-pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) virus subtype H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b, observed in European wild birds and poultry since October 2021, suggests at least two different and distinct reservoirs. We propose contrasting hypotheses for this emergence: (i) resident viruses have been maintained, presumably in wild birds, in northern Europe throughout the summer of 2021 to cause some of the outbreaks that are part of the most recent autumn/winter 2021 epizootic, or (ii) further virus variants were reintroduced by migratory birds, and these two sources of reintroduction have driven the HPAI resurgence. Viruses from these two principal sources can be distinguished by their hemagglutinin genes, which segregate into two distinct sublineages (termed B1 and B2) within clade 2.3.4.4b, as well as their different internal gene compositions. The evidence of enzootic HPAI virus circulation during the summer of 2021 indicates a possible paradigm shift in the epidemiology of HPAI in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Pohlmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Jacqueline King
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Alice Fusaro
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padua, Italy
| | - Bianca Zecchin
- European Union Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro, Padua, Italy
| | - Ashley C. Banyard
- Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
- OIE/FAO International Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza, Swine Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Ian H. Brown
- Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
- OIE/FAO International Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza, Swine Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander M. P. Byrne
- Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Nancy Beerens
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Yuan Liang
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Rene Heutink
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Frank Harders
- Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Joe James
- Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
- OIE/FAO International Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza, Swine Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Scott M. Reid
- Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Rowena D. E. Hansen
- Animal and Plant Health Agency—Weybridge, New Haw, Addlestone, Surrey, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola S. Lewis
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte Hjulsager
- Department for Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lars E. Larsen
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Siamak Zohari
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute, SVA, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristofer Anderson
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute, SVA, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Caroline Bröjer
- Department of Pathology, National Veterinary Institute, SVA, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alexander Nagy
- State Veterinary Institute Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimir Savič
- Croatian Veterinary Institute, Poultry Centre, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Steven van Borm
- Service of Avian Virology and Immunology, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mieke Steensels
- Service of Avian Virology and Immunology, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Francois-Xavier Briand
- Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire, de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail, Laboratoire de Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort, Unité de Virologie, Immunologie, Parasitologie Avaires et Cunicoles, Ploufragan, France
| | - Edyta Swieton
- Department of Poultry Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Puławy, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Smietanka
- Department of Poultry Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Puławy, Poland
| | - Christian Grund
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Timm Harder
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
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9
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Connect to Protect: Dynamics and Genetic Connections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreaks in Poultry from 2016 to 2021 in Germany. Viruses 2022; 14:v14091849. [PMID: 36146657 PMCID: PMC9502251 DOI: 10.3390/v14091849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During autumn/winter in 2016–2017 and 2020–2021, highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) caused severe outbreaks in Germany and Europe. Multiple clade 2.3.4.4b H5 HPAI subtypes were responsible for increased mortality in wild birds and high mortality and massive losses in the poultry sector. To clarify putative entry sources and delineate interconnections between outbreaks in poultry holdings and wild birds, we applied whole-genome sequencing and phylodynamic analyses combined with the results of epidemiological outbreak investigations. Varying outbreak dynamics of the distinct reassortants allowed for the identification of individual, putatively wild bird-mediated entries into backyard holdings, several clusters comprising poultry holdings, local virus circulation for several weeks, direct farm-to-farm transmission and potential reassortment within a turkey holding with subsequent spill-over of the novel reassorted virus into the wild bird population. Whole-genome sequencing allowed for a unique high-resolution molecular epidemiology analysis of HPAIV H5Nx outbreaks and is recommended to be used as a standard tool. The presented detailed account of the genetic, temporal, and geographical characteristics of the recent German HPAI H5Nx situation emphasizes the role of poultry holdings as an important source of novel genetic variants and reassortants.
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10
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Transatlantic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wild birds from Europe to North America in 2021. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11729. [PMID: 35821511 PMCID: PMC9276711 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-13447-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage (GsGd), which threaten the health of poultry, wildlife and humans, are spreading across Asia, Europe, Africa and North America but are currently absent from South America and Oceania. In December 2021, H5N1 HPAI viruses were detected in poultry and a free-living gull in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that these viruses were most closely related to HPAI GsGd viruses circulating in northwestern Europe in spring 2021. Our analysis of wild bird migration suggested that these viruses may have been carried across the Atlantic via Iceland, Greenland/Arctic or pelagic routes. The here documented incursion of HPAI GsGd viruses into North America raises concern for further virus spread across the Americas by wild bird migration.
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11
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King J, Harder T, Globig A, Stacker L, Günther A, Grund C, Beer M, Pohlmann A. Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus incursions of subtype H5N8, H5N5, H5N1, H5N4, and H5N3 in Germany during 2020-21. Virus Evol 2022; 8:veac035. [PMID: 35478715 PMCID: PMC9037367 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veac035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
From October 2020 to July 2021, five different subtypes (H5N8, H5N5, H5N1, H5N4, and H5N3) and seven genotypes of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) belonging to clade 2.3.4.4b were detected in a broad array of avian hosts in Germany. Initial incursion by wild birds with an unprecedented involvement of charadriiforme species at the Wadden Sea coast only carrying subtype H5N3, lateral spread between poultry with detection of novel reassortants and mixed infections in poultry holdings, suspected spillback of HPAIV from poultry to wild birds, and detection of HPAIV-infected wild birds during the following summer in 2021 were hallmarks of this epizootic. Local reassortment events with low pathogenic AIV strains were detected by phylogenetic analyses, with a dominating HP H5N8 and later HP H5N1 strain responsible for most cases. In addition, the first-ever described HPAIV strain of subtype H5N4 could be genetically characterized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline King
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Timm Harder
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Anja Globig
- Institute of International Animal Health/One Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Lina Stacker
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Anne Günther
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Christian Grund
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Anne Pohlmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald, Insel Riems 17493, Germany
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12
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Multiple Introductions of Reassorted Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5Nx Viruses Clade 2.3.4.4b Causing Outbreaks in Wild Birds and Poultry in The Netherlands, 2020-2021. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0249921. [PMID: 35286149 PMCID: PMC9045216 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02499-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses are spread by migratory wild birds. Viruses causing outbreaks in wild birds and poultry in the Netherlands in 2020–2021 were genetically analyzed, which suggested that multiple virus incursions occurred.
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13
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Hassan KE, Ahrens AK, Ali A, El-Kady MF, Hafez HM, Mettenleiter TC, Beer M, Harder T. Improved Subtyping of Avian Influenza Viruses Using an RT-qPCR-Based Low Density Array: 'Riems Influenza a Typing Array', Version 2 (RITA-2). Viruses 2022; 14:415. [PMID: 35216008 PMCID: PMC8879595 DOI: 10.3390/v14020415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian influenza virus (AIV) variants emerge frequently, which challenges rapid diagnosis. Appropriate diagnosis reaching the sub- and pathotype level is the basis of combatting notifiable AIV infections. Real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) has become a standard diagnostic tool. Here, a total of 24 arrayed RT-qPCRs is introduced for full subtyping of 16 hemagglutinin and nine neuraminidase subtypes of AIV. This array, designated Riems Influenza A Typing Array version 2 (RITA-2), represents an updated and economized version of the RITA-1 array previously published by Hoffmann et al. RITA-2 provides improved integration of assays (24 instead of 32 parallel reactions) and reduced assay volume (12.5 µL). The technique also adds RT-qPCRs to detect Newcastle Disease (NDV) and Infectious Bronchitis viruses (IBV). In addition, it maximizes inclusivity (all sequences within one subtype) and exclusivity (no intersubtypic cross-reactions) as shown in validation runs using a panel of 428 AIV reference isolates, 15 reference samples each of NDV and IBV, and 122 clinical samples. The open format of RITA-2 is particularly tailored to subtyping influenza A virus of avian hosts and Eurasian geographic origin. Decoupling and re-arranging selected RT-qPCRs to detect specific AIV variants causing epizootic outbreaks with a temporal and/or geographic restriction is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kareem E. Hassan
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (K.E.H.); (A.K.A.); (M.B.)
- Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt; (A.A.); (M.F.E.-K.)
| | - Ann Kathrin Ahrens
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (K.E.H.); (A.K.A.); (M.B.)
| | - Ahmed Ali
- Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt; (A.A.); (M.F.E.-K.)
| | - Magdy F. El-Kady
- Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62511, Egypt; (A.A.); (M.F.E.-K.)
| | - Hafez M. Hafez
- Institute of Poultry Diseases, Free University Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany;
| | | | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (K.E.H.); (A.K.A.); (M.B.)
| | - Timm Harder
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (K.E.H.); (A.K.A.); (M.B.)
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14
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Verhagen JH, Fouchier RAM, Lewis N. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses at the Wild-Domestic Bird Interface in Europe: Future Directions for Research and Surveillance. Viruses 2021; 13:212. [PMID: 33573231 PMCID: PMC7912471 DOI: 10.3390/v13020212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks in wild birds and poultry are no longer a rare phenomenon in Europe. In the past 15 years, HPAI outbreaks-in particular those caused by H5 viruses derived from the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage that emerged in southeast Asia in 1996-have been occuring with increasing frequency in Europe. Between 2005 and 2020, at least ten HPAI H5 incursions were identified in Europe resulting in mass mortalities among poultry and wild birds. Until 2009, the HPAI H5 virus outbreaks in Europe were caused by HPAI H5N1 clade 2.2 viruses, while from 2014 onwards HPAI H5 clade 2.3.4.4 viruses dominated outbreaks, with abundant genetic reassortments yielding subtypes H5N1, H5N2, H5N3, H5N4, H5N5, H5N6 and H5N8. The majority of HPAI H5 virus detections in wild and domestic birds within Europe coincide with southwest/westward fall migration and large local waterbird aggregations during wintering. In this review we provide an overview of HPAI H5 virus epidemiology, ecology and evolution at the interface between poultry and wild birds based on 15 years of avian influenza virus surveillance in Europe, and assess future directions for HPAI virus research and surveillance, including the integration of whole genome sequencing, host identification and avian ecology into risk-based surveillance and analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josanne H. Verhagen
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands; (J.H.V.); (R.A.M.F.)
| | - Ron A. M. Fouchier
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, The Netherlands; (J.H.V.); (R.A.M.F.)
| | - Nicola Lewis
- Department of Pathobiology and Population Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield AL9 7TA, Hertfordshire, UK
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15
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Guyonnet V, Peters AR. Are current avian influenza vaccines a solution for smallholder poultry farmers? Gates Open Res 2020; 4:122. [PMID: 33145481 PMCID: PMC7578560 DOI: 10.12688/gatesopenres.13171.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses, along with other measures, was successful in eradicating AI in very few countries where the competence of national veterinary services or the geography and bird density have contributed favorably to the outcome. The main constraints to an effective AI vaccination are vaccine composition matching field strains, reliable cold chain and logistics to target all poultry smallholders, constraints related to the availability of sufficient financial and human resources. When not conducted properly, vaccination can also contribute to the emergence of new field viral strains, through genetic drifts of HPAI viruses. While new technologies have improved the possibility to produce high quality vaccines matching field strains, recurrent issues like post-vaccination field surveillance and vaccination coverage continue to limit the relevance of AI vaccination in smallholder settings. A "game-changer" vaccine targeting smallholders should be universal to protect against all field viral strains and reduce significantly, if not totally eliminate, the need for costly post-vaccination surveillance. The ease of administration of this vaccine (eye drop or one single injection) would further contribute to its relevance in the field. These characteristics are considered essential for the product profile of an AI vaccine that can contribute in a meaningful way to the livelihoods of poultry smallholders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andew R. Peters
- Supporting Evidence Based Interventions (SEBI), University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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