Asymptomatic #infection and #antibody #prevalence to co-occurring avian #influenza viruses vary substantially between sympatric #seabird species following #H5N1 #outbreaks
Abstract Emerging infectious diseases are of major concern to animal and human health . Recent emergence of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) (H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b) led to substantial global mortality across a range of host species . Co-occurring species showed marked differences in mortality, generating an urgent need for better epidemiological understanding within affected populations. We therefore tested for antibodies , indicative of previous exposure and recovery, and for active viral infection in apparently healthy individuals (n = 350) across five co-occurring seabird species on the Isle of May, Scotland , during 2023, following H5N1 HPAIV associated mortality in the preceding summer. Antibody prevalence to AIV subtypes varied substantially between species, ranging from 1.1% in European shags (Gulosus aristotelis) (to H5 ) to 78.7% in black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) (to H16 or both H13 and H16 ), and between 31 and 41% for three auk species ( H5, H16 or ...