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Lean FZX, Falchieri M, Furman N, Tyler G, Robinson C, Holmes P, Reid SM, Banyard AC, Brown IH, Man C, Núñez A. Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 infection in skua and gulls in the United Kingdom, 2022. Vet Pathol 2024; 61:421-431. [PMID: 38140946 DOI: 10.1177/03009858231217224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
The reemergence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) subtype H5N1 in the United Kingdom in 2021-2022 has caused unprecedented epizootic events in wild birds and poultry. During the summer of 2022, there was a shift in virus transmission dynamics resulting in increased HPAIV infection in seabirds, and consequently, a profound impact on seabird populations. To understand the pathological impact of HPAIV in seabirds, we evaluated the virus antigen distribution and associated pathological changes in the tissues of great skua (Stercorarius skua, n = 8), long-tailed skua (Stercorarius longicaudus, n = 1), European herring gull (Larus argentatus, n = 5), and black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus, n = 4), which succumbed to natural infection of HPAIV during the summer of 2022. Cases were collected from Shetland, including Scatness (mainland), No Ness (mainland), Clumlie (mainland), Hermaness (island), Fair Isle (island), Noss (island), and the West Midlands, South East, and South West of England. Grossly, gizzard ulceration was observed in one great skua and pancreatic necrosis was observed in 4 herring gulls, with intralesional viral antigen detected subsequently. Microscopical analysis revealed neuro-, pneumo-, lymphoid-, and cardiomyotropism of HPAIV H5N1, with the most common virus-associated pathological changes being pancreatic and splenic necrosis. Examination of the reproductive tract of the great skua revealed HPAIV-associated oophoritis and salpingitis, and virus replication within the oviductal epithelium. The emergence of HPAIV in seabirds Stercorariidae and Laridae, particularly during summer 2022, has challenged the dogma of HPAIV dynamics, posing a significant threat to wild bird life with potential implications for the reproductive performance of seabirds of conservation importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Z X Lean
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, UK
- Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire, UK
| | | | | | | | | | - Paul Holmes
- APHA Shrewsbury Veterinary Investigation Centre, UK
| | | | | | - Ian H Brown
- Animal and Plant Health Agency, Weybridge, UK
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Fusaro A, Zecchin B, Giussani E, Palumbo E, Agüero-García M, Bachofen C, Bálint Á, Banihashem F, Banyard AC, Beerens N, Bourg M, Briand FX, Bröjer C, Brown IH, Brugger B, Byrne AMP, Cana A, Christodoulou V, Dirbakova Z, Fagulha T, Fouchier RAM, Garza-Cuartero L, Georgiades G, Gjerset B, Grasland B, Groza O, Harder T, Henriques AM, Hjulsager CK, Ivanova E, Janeliunas Z, Krivko L, Lemon K, Liang Y, Lika A, Malik P, McMenamy MJ, Nagy A, Nurmoja I, Onita I, Pohlmann A, Revilla-Fernández S, Sánchez-Sánchez A, Savic V, Slavec B, Smietanka K, Snoeck CJ, Steensels M, Svansson V, Swieton E, Tammiranta N, Tinak M, Van Borm S, Zohari S, Adlhoch C, Baldinelli F, Terregino C, Monne I. High pathogenic avian influenza A(H5) viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b in Europe-Why trends of virus evolution are more difficult to predict. Virus Evol 2024; 10:veae027. [PMID: 38699215 PMCID: PMC11065109 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veae027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Since 2016, A(H5Nx) high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus of clade 2.3.4.4b has become one of the most serious global threats not only to wild and domestic birds, but also to public health. In recent years, important changes in the ecology, epidemiology, and evolution of this virus have been reported, with an unprecedented global diffusion and variety of affected birds and mammalian species. After the two consecutive and devastating epidemic waves in Europe in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, with the second one recognized as one of the largest epidemics recorded so far, this clade has begun to circulate endemically in European wild bird populations. This study used the complete genomes of 1,956 European HPAI A(H5Nx) viruses to investigate the virus evolution during this varying epidemiological outline. We investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of A(H5Nx) virus diffusion to/from and within Europe during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 epidemic waves, providing evidence of ongoing changes in transmission dynamics and disease epidemiology. We demonstrated the high genetic diversity of the circulating viruses, which have undergone frequent reassortment events, providing for the first time a complete overview and a proposed nomenclature of the multiple genotypes circulating in Europe in 2020-2022. We described the emergence of a new genotype with gull adapted genes, which offered the virus the opportunity to occupy new ecological niches, driving the disease endemicity in the European wild bird population. The high propensity of the virus for reassortment, its jumps to a progressively wider number of host species, including mammals, and the rapid acquisition of adaptive mutations make the trend of virus evolution and spread difficult to predict in this unfailing evolving scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Fusaro
- European Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, viale dell'universita 10, Legnaro, Padua 35020, Italy
| | - Bianca Zecchin
- European Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, viale dell'universita 10, Legnaro, Padua 35020, Italy
| | - Edoardo Giussani
- European Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, viale dell'universita 10, Legnaro, Padua 35020, Italy
| | - Elisa Palumbo
- European Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, viale dell'universita 10, Legnaro, Padua 35020, Italy
| | - Montserrat Agüero-García
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria (LCV), Ctra. M-106, Km 1,4 Algete, Madrid 28110, Spain
| | - Claudia Bachofen
- Federal Department of Home Affairs FDHA Institute of Virology and Immunology IVI, Sensemattstrasse 293, Mittelhäusern 3147, Switzerland
| | - Ádám Bálint
- Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate (NEBIH), Laboratory of Virology, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, Budapest 1143, Hungary
| | - Fereshteh Banihashem
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Travvägen 20, Uppsala 75189, Sweden
| | - Ashley C Banyard
- WOAH/FAO international reference laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Virology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone KT15 3NB, United Kingdom
| | - Nancy Beerens
- Department of Virology Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Houtribweg 39, Lelystad 8221 RA, The Netherlands
| | - Manon Bourg
- Luxembourgish Veterinary and Food Administration (ALVA), State Veterinary Laboratory, 1 Rue Louis Rech, Dudelange 3555, Luxembourg
| | - 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, 41 Rue de Beaucemaine – BP 53, Ploufragan 22440, France
| | - Caroline Bröjer
- Department of Pathology and Wildlife Disease, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Travvägen 20, Uppsala 75189, Sweden
| | - Ian H Brown
- WOAH/FAO international reference laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Virology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone KT15 3NB, United Kingdom
| | - Brigitte Brugger
- Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority, Austurvegur 64, Selfoss 800, Iceland
| | - Alexander M P Byrne
- WOAH/FAO international reference laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Virology Department, Animal and Plant Health Agency-Weybridge, Woodham Lane, New Haw, Addlestone KT15 3NB, United Kingdom
| | - Armend Cana
- Kosovo Food and Veterinary Agency, Sector of Serology and Molecular Diagnostics, Kosovo Food and Veterinary Laboratory, Str Lidhja e Pejes, Prishtina 10000, Kosovo
| | - Vasiliki Christodoulou
- Laboratory for Animal Health Virology Section Veterinary Services (1417), 79, Athalassa Avenue Aglantzia, Nicosia 2109, Cyprus
| | - Zuzana Dirbakova
- Department of Animal Health, State Veterinary Institute, Pod Dráhami 918, Zvolen 96086, Slovakia
| | - Teresa Fagulha
- I.P. (INIAV, I.P.), Avenida da República, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Quinta do Marquês, Oeiras 2780 – 157, Portugal
| | - Ron A M Fouchier
- Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, Rotterdam 3015 GD, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Garza-Cuartero
- Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL), Backweston Campus, Stacumny Lane, Celbridge, Co. Kildare W23 X3PH, Ireland
| | - George Georgiades
- Thessaloniki Veterinary Centre (TVC), Department of Avian Diseases, 26th October Street 80, Thessaloniki 54627, Greece
| | - Britt Gjerset
- Immunology & Virology department, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Arboretveien 57, Oslo Pb 64, N-1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Beatrice Grasland
- 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, 41 Rue de Beaucemaine – BP 53, Ploufragan 22440, France
| | - Oxana Groza
- Republican Center for Veterinary Diagnostics (NRL), 3 street Murelor, Chisinau 2051, Republic of Moldova
| | - Timm Harder
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald-Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Ana Margarida Henriques
- I.P. (INIAV, I.P.), Avenida da República, Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Quinta do Marquês, Oeiras 2780 – 157, Portugal
| | - Charlotte Kristiane Hjulsager
- Department for Virus and Microbiological Special Diagnostics, Statens Serum Institut, 5 Artillerivej, Copenhagen DK-2300, Denmark
| | - Emiliya Ivanova
- National Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, National Diagnostic and Research Veterinary Medical Institute (NDRVMI), 190 Lomsko Shose Blvd., Sofia 1231, Bulgaria
| | - Zygimantas Janeliunas
- National Food and Veterinary Risk Assessment Institute (NFVRAI), Kairiukscio str. 10, Vilnius 08409, Lithuania
| | - Laura Krivko
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment (BIOR), Laboratory of Microbilogy and Pathology, 3 Lejupes Street, Riga 1076, Latvia
| | - Ken Lemon
- Virological Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Veterinary Sciences Division, Department of Virology, Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI), Stoney Road, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland
| | - Yuan Liang
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 15, Frederiksberg 1870, Denmark
| | - Aldin Lika
- Animal Health Department, Food Safety and Veterinary Institute, Rruga Aleksandër Moisiu 10, Tirana 1001, Albania
| | - Péter Malik
- Veterinary Diagnostic Directorate (NEBIH), Laboratory of Virology, National Food Chain Safety Office, Tábornok utca 2, Budapest 1143, Hungary
| | - Michael J McMenamy
- Virological Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, Veterinary Sciences Division, Department of Virology, Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI), Stoney Road, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland
| | - Alexander Nagy
- Department of Molecular Biology, State Veterinary Institute Prague, Sídlištní 136/24, Praha 6-Lysolaje 16503, Czech Republic
| | - Imbi Nurmoja
- National Centre for Laboratory Research and Risk Assessment (LABRIS), Kreutzwaldi 30, Tartu 51006, Estonia
| | - Iuliana Onita
- Institute for Diagnosis and Animal Health (IDAH), Str. Dr. Staicovici 63, Bucharest 050557, Romania
| | - Anne Pohlmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, Greifswald-Insel Riems 17493, Germany
| | - Sandra Revilla-Fernández
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Institute for Veterinary Disease Control, Robert Koch Gasse 17, Mödling 2340, Austria
| | - Azucena Sánchez-Sánchez
- Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria (LCV), Ctra. M-106, Km 1,4 Algete, Madrid 28110, Spain
| | - Vladimir Savic
- Croatian Veterinary Institute, Poultry Centre, Heinzelova 55, Zagreb 10000, Croatia
| | - Brigita Slavec
- University of Ljubljana – Veterinary Faculty/National Veterinary Institute, Gerbičeva 60, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Krzysztof Smietanka
- Department of Poultry Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantow 57, Puławy 24-100, Poland
| | - Chantal J Snoeck
- Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH), Department of Infection and Immunity, 29 Rue Henri Koch, Esch-sur-Alzette 4354, Luxembourg
| | - Mieke Steensels
- Avian Virology and Immunology, Sciensano, Rue Groeselenberg 99, Ukkel 1180, Ukkel, Belgium
| | - Vilhjálmur Svansson
- Biomedical Center, Institute for Experimental Pathology, University of Iceland, Keldnavegi 3 112 Reykjavík Ssn. 650269 4549, Keldur 851, Iceland
| | - Edyta Swieton
- Department of Poultry Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Al. Partyzantow 57, Puławy 24-100, Poland
| | - Niina Tammiranta
- Finnish Food Authority, Animal Health Diagnostic Unit, Veterinary Virology, Mustialankatu 3, Helsinki FI-00790, Finland
| | - Martin Tinak
- Department of Animal Health, State Veterinary Institute, Pod Dráhami 918, Zvolen 96086, Slovakia
| | - Steven Van Borm
- Avian Virology and Immunology, Sciensano, Rue Groeselenberg 99, Ukkel 1180, Ukkel, Belgium
| | - Siamak Zohari
- Department of Microbiology, National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Travvägen 20, Uppsala 75189, Sweden
| | - Cornelia Adlhoch
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Gustav III:s boulevard 40, Solna 169 73, Sweden
| | | | - Calogero Terregino
- European Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, viale dell'universita 10, Legnaro, Padua 35020, Italy
| | - Isabella Monne
- European Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, viale dell'universita 10, Legnaro, Padua 35020, Italy
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