OmniVira

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Clade 2.3.4.4b Infections in Wild Terrestrial Mammals, United States, 2022.

Elizabeth J Elsmo Arno Wünschmann Kimberlee B Beckmen Liam E Broughton-Neiswanger Elizabeth L Buckles Jayne Ellis Scott D Fitzgerald Robert Gerlach Shawna Hawkins Hon S Ip Julia S Lankton Erin M Lemley Julianna B Lenoch Mary L Killian Kristina Lantz Lindsey Long Roger Maes Marta Mainenti Julie Melotti Megan E Moriarty Shotaro Nakagun Rachel M Ruden Valerie Shearn-Bochsler Danielle Thompson Mia K Torchetti Arnaud J Van Wettere Annabel G Wise Ailam L Lim
PMID37987580 DOI10.3201/eid2912.230464 Year2023 Journal Emerging infectious diseases Emerg Infect Dis Languageeng Statusppublish

Abstract

We describe the pathology of natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus of Eurasian lineage Goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b in 67 wild terrestrial mammals throughout the United States during April 1‒July 21, 2022. Affected mammals include 50 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 6 striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis), 4 raccoons (Procyon lotor), 2 bobcats (Lynx rufus), 2 Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), 1 coyote (Canis latrans), 1 fisher (Pekania pennanti), and 1 gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). Infected mammals showed primarily neurologic signs. Necrotizing meningoencephalitis, interstitial pneumonia, and myocardial necrosis were the most common lesions; however, species variations in lesion distribution were observed. Genotype analysis of sequences from 48 animals indicates that these cases represent spillover infections from wild birds.

Supporting text Virus Host Location
avian influenza 57 bobcat 1 clade 2.3.4.4b 19 coyote 2 fisher 1 fox 4 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus 13 influenza 61 influenza A(H5N1) 2 meningitis/encephalitis 4 opossum 2 raccoon 2 respiratory infections 30 skunk 1 United States 56 viruses 117 wild terrestrial mammals 1 zoonoses 477 Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype 300 Influenza in Birds 341 Animals 1948 Animals, Wild 187 Foxes 17 Mammals 92

Evidence records

2 total
Zoonotic Surveillance
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Viral Detection
1 records
OVE7557 Viral Detection
Key finding

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus clade 2.3.4.4b RNA was detected in 67 wild terrestrial mammals across the United States during April–July 2022.

Virus
Influenza A virus H5N1
Host
mammals Mammalia Natural host
Location
United States
Supporting text

We describe the pathology of natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus of Eurasian lineage Goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b in 67 wild terrestrial mammals throughout the United States during April 1‒July 21, 2022.

Method
viral genome sequencing | molecular detection
Sample type
animal tissue
Geographic raw
United States
Country inferred
USA
Transmission Evidence
1 records · 1 evidence types
Evidence type Cross-species Transmission
1 records
OVE7558 Cross-species Transmission
Key finding

Genotype analysis indicated that infections of wild terrestrial mammals throughout the United States resulted from spillover of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus from wild birds.

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

We describe the pathology of natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus of Eurasian lineage Goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b in 67 wild terrestrial mammals throughout the United States during April 1‒July 21, 2022. Genotype analysis of sequences from 48 animals indicates that these cases represent spillover infections from wild birds.

Method
genotype analysis | sequence analysis
Study design
genotype analysis of wild mammal infection cases
Transmission direction
animal-to-animal
Geographic raw
United States