Skip to main content

The #Impact of Highly Pathogenic Avian #Influenza #H5N1 in the #USA: A Scoping #Review of Past #Detections and Present #Outbreaks

Abstract

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 (HPAI H5N1) was first detected in chickens in Scottland in 1959 and has since circulated globally, causing regular outbreaks among different animal species, as well as incidental infections in humans. In this scoping review, the epidemiology and impact of HPAI H5N1 among migratory birds, poultry, and cattle in the United States were analyzed, with a particular focus on outbreaks since January 2022. Following PRISMA guidelines, a total of 27 articles were identified for this review. Publicly available data and reports from the USDA and CDC were also evaluated and summarized. The identified articles primarily included epidemiological studies of detections in wild birds, mammals, and case reports on H5N1 and transmission dynamics among cattle, with a notable absence of poultry-focused reports. Wild birds, especially migratory species, have played an important role in virus dissemination. Studies among mammals, including seals, bears, and domestic cats, along with the emerging outbreak among cattle, highlight the virus’s ability to adapt to diverse hosts, with the possibility of mammal-to-mammal transmission. Despite the low number of human infections, the zoonotic risk of the disease and the possibility of a human outbreak remain significant. The complexity and risks associated with the virus, in comparison with the limited current scientific studies in the United States, demand further investigations to mitigate its impact on animals, ecosystems, and human health.

Source: Viruses, https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/3/307

____

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

#Neuroinvasive #Oropouche virus in a patient with #HIV from extra-Amazonian #Brazil

{Excerpt} A novel reassortant Oropouche virus (OROV) lineage (with medium [M], large [L], and small [S] RNA segments : M1L2S2) has driven Brazil's largest and most geographically widespread OROV epidemic , expanding beyond the endemic Amazon basin to establish local transmission across multiple Brazilian states and other previously unaffected Latin American countries . The rapid spread of this lineage underscores its evolutionary potential and reinforces its significance as a public health threat .1 Similar to chikungunya and Zika viruses, expanding arboviruses can exhibit unexpected clinical and epidemiological shifts , including vertical transmissions , neuroinvasive effects, and potentially fatal outcomes.2–4 Although OROV typically causes self-limited febrile illness, accumulating clinical and experimental evidence suggests neurotropic potential .5 This Correspondence describes the first confirmed case of neuroinvasive OROV infection caused by the emergent M1L2S2 lineage in ext...

Stability of #influenza viruses in the #milk of #cows and #sheep

Abstract In late 2023, H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAIV) started circulating in dairy cattle in the USA . High viral titres were detected in milk from infected cows , raising concerns about onwards human infections . Although pasteurisation was shown to effectively inactivate influenza viruses in milk, unpasteurised milk still poses a risk of infection, both from occupational exposure in dairies and from the consumption of raw milk. We therefore assessed how long influenza viruses could remain infectious for in milk without heat inactivation. We examined the stability of a panel of influenza viruses in milk , including a contemporary H5N1 HPAIV and a variety of other influenza A and D viruses. We incubated viruses in cows' milk under laboratory conditions : at room temperature to simulate exposure in dairies and at 4°C to simulate exposure to refrigerated raw milk. Following an isolated report of H5N1 viral RNA being detected in milk from a sheep in the UK , we also c...

#Evidence of #Viremia in Dairy #Cows Naturally Infected with #Influenza A {#H5N1} Virus, #California, #USA

Abstract We confirmed influenza A virus (IAV) by PCR in serum from 18 cows on 3 affected dairy farms in California, USA . Our findings indicate the presence of viremia and might help explain IAV transmission dynamics and shedding patterns in cows. An understanding of those dynamics could enable development of IAV mitigation strategies. Source: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,  https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/31/7/25-0134_article ____