OmniVira

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
PMID36958010 DOI10.3201/eid2904.221538 Year2023 Journal Emerging infectious diseases Emerg Infect Dis Languageeng Publication statusActive
Active Last checked 2026-10-03 03:30:43 Source: NCBI PubMed

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 58 Caniformia 4 ecology 17 gray seals 1 H5N1 88 harbor seals 2 influenza 63 New England 6 United States 58 virology 12 viruses 120 zoonoses 482 Influenza A virus 191 Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype 308 Influenza in Birds 352 Seals, Earless 4 Animals 1981 Animals, Wild 193 Birds 215 Disease Outbreaks 174 New England 6

Evidence records

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

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

Virus
Influenza A virus H5N1
Host
true seals Phocidae Natural host birds Aves Natural host
Location
United States
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 Cross-species Transmission
1 records
OVE6860 Cross-species Transmission
Key finding

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

Virus
Influenza A virus H5N1
Host
mammals Mammalia Natural host birds Aves Natural host
Location
United States
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