Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Outbreak in New England Seals, United States.

Wendy Puryear Kaitlin Sawatzki Nichola Hill Alexa Foss Jonathon J Stone Lynda Doughty Dominique Walk Katie Gilbert Maureen Murray Elena Cox Priya Patel Zak Mertz Stephanie Ellis Jennifer Taylor Deborah Fauquier Ainsley Smith Robert A DiGiovanni Adriana van de Guchte Ana Silvia Gonzalez-Reiche Zain Khalil Harm van Bakel Mia K Torchetti Kristina Lantz Julianna B Lenoch Jonathan Runstadler

Abstract

We report the spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) into marine mammals in the northeastern United States, coincident with H5N1 in sympatric wild birds. Our data indicate monitoring both wild coastal birds and marine mammals will be critical to determine pandemic potential of influenza A viruses.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
avian influenza 57 Caniformia 4 ecology 17 gray seals 1 H5N1 82 harbor seals 1 influenza 61 New England 5 United States 56 virology 11 viruses 117 zoonoses 477 Influenza A virus 186 Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype 300 Influenza in Birds 341 Seals, Earless 4 Animals 1948 Animals, Wild 187 Birds 212 Disease Outbreaks 170 New England 5

Evidence records

2 total
Transmission Evidence
2 records · 2 evidence types
Evidence type
1 records
OVE6861
Key finding

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) was investigated in New England seals in the United States.

Virus
Host
Location
Supporting text

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Outbreak in New England Seals, United States.

Method
virus detection | field investigation | genomic analysis
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
New England, United States
Country inferred
USA
Outbreak setting
marine mammal population along the northeastern U.S. coast
Outbreak time
2022
Evidence type
1 records
OVE6860
Key finding

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus spilled over from wild birds into marine mammals in the northeastern United States.

Virus
Host
Location
Supporting text

We report the spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) into marine mammals in the northeastern United States, coincident with H5N1 in sympatric wild birds.

Method
field surveillance | virus detection in marine mammals and wild birds
Study design
outbreak investigation report
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
northeastern United States