Unexpected delayed incursion of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in the Antarctic region

Lisovski, Simeon; Günther, Anne; Dewar, Meagan; Ainley, David; Aldunate, Fabián; Arce, Rodrigo; Ballard, Grant; Bauer, Silke; Belliure, Josabel; Banyard, Ashley C.; Boulinier, Thierry; Bennison, Ashley; Braun, Christina; Cary, Craig; Catry, Paulo; Clessin, Augustin; Connan, Maelle; Correia, Edna; Cox, Aidan; Cristina, Juan; Elrod, Megan; Emerit, Julia; Ferreiro, Irene; Fowler, Zoe; Gamble, Amandine; Granadeiro, José P.; Hurtado, Joaquin; Jongsomjit, Dennis; Lesage, Célia; Lejeune, Mathilde; Kuepfer, Amanda; Lescroël, Amélie; Li, Amy; McDonald, Ian R.; Menéndez-Blázquez, Javier; Morandini, Virginia; Moratorio, Gonzalo; Militão, Teresa; Moreno, Pilar; Perbolianachis, Paula; Pennycook, Jean; Raslan, Maryam; Reid, Scott M.; Richards-Babbage, Roanna; Schmidt, Annie E.; Sander, Martha Maria; Smyth, Lucy; Soutullo, Alvaro; Stanworth, Andrew; Streith, Léo; Tornos, Jérémy; Varsani, Arvind; Herzschuh, Ulrike; Beer, Martin; Wille, Michelle

doi:10.1101/2023.10.24.563692

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Fortunately, we neither observed clinical signs nor detected clinical or molecular evidence of the virus during surveillance in early 2023 at Lions Rump and Hanna Point, two distinctive areas for biodiversity in Antarctica inhabited by flying birds, penguins, and marine mammals, in any of the studied species. In a study primarily based on clinical observations in early 2023, no signs of the virus in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic territories were reported either [21].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lack of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 in the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica, Early 2023

Muñoz,

Mendieta,

Ulloa

et al. 2024

Animals

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In January 2023, an active surveillance initiative was undertaken in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, with the specific objective of ascertaining evidence for the presence of avian influenza, and specifically the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H5N1 (HPAIV H5N1). The investigation encompassed diverse locations, including Hanna Point (Livingston Island), Lions Rump (King George Island), and Base Escudero (King George Island), with targeted observations on marine mammals (southern elephant seals), flying birds (the kelp gull, snowy sheathbill and brown skua), and penguins (the chinstrap penguin and gentoo penguin). The study encompassed the examination of these sites for signs of mass mortality events possibly attributable to HPAIV H5N1, as well as sampling for influenza detection by means of real-time RT-PCR. Two hundred and seven (207) samples were collected, including 73 fecal samples obtained from the environment from marine mammals (predominantly feces of southern elephant seals), and 77 cloacal samples from penguins of the genus Pygoscelis (predominantly from the gentoo penguin). No evidence of mass mortality attributable to HPAIV H5N1 was observed, and all the collected samples tested negative for the presence of the virus, strongly suggesting the absence of the virus in the Antarctic territory during the specified period. This empirical evidence holds significant implications for both the ecological integrity of the region and the potential zoonotic threats, underscoring the importance of continued surveillance and monitoring in the Antarctic ecosystem.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%