Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 Clade 2.3.2.1c virus in migratory birds, 2014–2015

A two-year monitoring period of the genetic properties of clade 2.3.2.1c H5N1 viruses in Nigeria reveals the emergence and co-circulation of distinct genotypes

“…Phylogenetic analysis of the HA showed that the virus belonged to the genetic clade 2.3.2.1c and clustered with H5 viruses collected in China in 2013 and with an H5N1 virus (A/Alberta/01/2014) isolated from a Canadian resident who had recently visited China (Monne et al, 2015). Clade 2.3.2.1c, which was first reported from China in whooper swans (Bi et al,2015) has been isolated from several other wild birds species, along the Central Asian flyway and demonstrated high virulence in mice and ferrets (Bi et al, 2016;Marchenko et al, 2016;Pearce et al, 2017). The virus subsequently spread to other states of Nigeria as well as other West African countries including Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Cameroon and Togo; some of which are still reporting outbreaks (OIE, 2017).…”

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus in Wild Migratory Birds, Qinghai Lake, China

“…Currently, we know of 3 HPAI H5N1 virus clades that have been introduced to wild migratory birds in Qinghai Lake, which is located near multiple migratory flyways: clade 2.2 in 2005 ( 11 , 12 ), clade 2.3.2 in 2009 ( 13 , 14 ), and clade 2.3.2.1c in 2015 ( 15 ). On all 3 occasions, similar viruses were subsequently detected in other regions.…”

Avian influenza

“…An exception are outbreaks in 2014/2015 when the first poultry outbreak was detected slightly earlier than the first wild bird case. Nevertheless, detection of gs/GD-like HPAIV H5 in both poultry and wild birds in Europe was always closely associated, both geographically and temporally, indicating a tight epidemiological link (Munster et al, 2005;Steensels et al, 2006;Starick et al, 2008;Artois et al, 2009;Brochet et al, 2009;Globig et al, 2009;Reid et al, 2011;Saito et al, 2015;Bi et al, 2016;Claes et al, 2016;Muzyka et al, 2016). Thoroughly conducted epidemiological tracing back studies of the index cases of each gs/GD-related poultry outbreak failed to generate evidence that might have indicated an infection source within European poultry populations.…”