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Avian flu: cases on the decline in Europe, surveillance recommended in view of upcoming season
Published:
4 July 2024
2 minutes read
Europe has recorded the lowest number of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases in poultry and wild birds since 2019/2020 and the risk to the general public remains low. These are the main findings of the latest report on avian influenza by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the EU reference laboratory (EURL), based on reported data between April and June 2024.
The improvement of the situation in Europe may be linked to several factors and needs further investigation. These may include: immunity developed by wild birds following previous infection; reduction of certain wild bird populations; decreased environmental contamination; and changes in the composition of viral genotypes.
Experts noted the continuous circulation of HPAI virus in wild birds in Europe throughout the year, albeit at low numbers. They recommended to enhance surveillance in view of the next influenza season.
HPAI outside Europe
For the first time in many years, Australia has reported HPAI cases. The different subtypes circulating in Australia are currently not reported in the rest of the world.
Experts noted the unexpected diversity of mammal species affected by HPAI as well as the different viral genotypes circulating among poultry, wild birds, and mammals in North America. Direct cattle-to-cattle transmission has not yet been confirmed, while raw milk from cows has been observed as a new, unexpected route of transmission. Current evidence indicates that industrial pasteurisation plays a significant role in inactivating HPAI virus in the raw milk of cows.
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Avian influenza overview March–June 2024
Published:
4 July 2024
Approved:
3 July 2024
DocumentsMeta data
KEYWORDS
avian influenza, captive birds, HPAI, humans, monitoring, poultry, wild birds
ON REQUEST FROM
European Commission
QUESTION NUMBER
EFSA-Q-2024-00174
Commission request 280 to ECDC (SANTE.B.2/IK/mo (2023)2182203)
CONTACT
biohaw@efsa.europa.eu
ECDC.influenza@ecdc.europa.eu
Abstract
Between 16 March and 14 June 2024, 42 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) virus detections were reported in domestic (15) and wild (27) birds across 13 countries in Europe. Although the overall number of detections in Europe has not been this low since the 2019–2020 epidemiological year, HPAI viruses continue to circulate at a very low level. Most detections in poultry were due to indirect contact with wild birds, but there was also secondary spread. Outside Europe, the HPAI situation intensified particularly in the USA, where a new A(H5N1) virus genotype (B3.13) has been identified in > 130 dairy herds in 12 states. Infection in cattle appears to be centred on the udder, with milk from infected animals showing high viral loads and representing a new vehicle of transmission. Apart from cattle, HPAI viruses were identified in two other mammal species (alpaca and walrus) for the first time. Between 13 March and 20 June 2024, 14 new human cases with avian influenza virus infection were reported from Vietnam (one A(H5N1), one A(H9N2)), Australia (with travel history to India, one A(H5N1)), USA (three A(H5N1)), China (two A(H5N6), three A(H9N2), one A(H10N3)), India (one A(H9N2)), and Mexico (one fatal A(H5N2) case). The latter case was the first laboratory-confirmed human infection with avian influenza virus subtype A(H5N2). Most of the human cases had reported exposure to poultry, live poultry markets, or dairy cattle prior to avian influenza virus detection or onset of illness. Human infections with avian influenza viruses remain rare and no human-to-human transmission has been observed. The risk of infection with currently circulating avian A(H5) influenza viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b in Europe remains low for the general public in the EU/EEA. The risk of infection remains low-to-moderate for those occupationally or otherwise exposed to infected animals or contaminated environments.
Published:
4 July 2024
2 minutes read
Europe has recorded the lowest number of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases in poultry and wild birds since 2019/2020 and the risk to the general public remains low. These are the main findings of the latest report on avian influenza by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the EU reference laboratory (EURL), based on reported data between April and June 2024.
The improvement of the situation in Europe may be linked to several factors and needs further investigation. These may include: immunity developed by wild birds following previous infection; reduction of certain wild bird populations; decreased environmental contamination; and changes in the composition of viral genotypes.
Experts noted the continuous circulation of HPAI virus in wild birds in Europe throughout the year, albeit at low numbers. They recommended to enhance surveillance in view of the next influenza season.
HPAI outside Europe
For the first time in many years, Australia has reported HPAI cases. The different subtypes circulating in Australia are currently not reported in the rest of the world.
Experts noted the unexpected diversity of mammal species affected by HPAI as well as the different viral genotypes circulating among poultry, wild birds, and mammals in North America. Direct cattle-to-cattle transmission has not yet been confirmed, while raw milk from cows has been observed as a new, unexpected route of transmission. Current evidence indicates that industrial pasteurisation plays a significant role in inactivating HPAI virus in the raw milk of cows.
-------------------------------------------
Avian influenza overview March–June 2024
Published:
4 July 2024
Approved:
3 July 2024
DocumentsMeta data
KEYWORDS
avian influenza, captive birds, HPAI, humans, monitoring, poultry, wild birds
ON REQUEST FROM
European Commission
QUESTION NUMBER
EFSA-Q-2024-00174
Commission request 280 to ECDC (SANTE.B.2/IK/mo (2023)2182203)
CONTACT
biohaw@efsa.europa.eu
ECDC.influenza@ecdc.europa.eu
Abstract
Between 16 March and 14 June 2024, 42 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) virus detections were reported in domestic (15) and wild (27) birds across 13 countries in Europe. Although the overall number of detections in Europe has not been this low since the 2019–2020 epidemiological year, HPAI viruses continue to circulate at a very low level. Most detections in poultry were due to indirect contact with wild birds, but there was also secondary spread. Outside Europe, the HPAI situation intensified particularly in the USA, where a new A(H5N1) virus genotype (B3.13) has been identified in > 130 dairy herds in 12 states. Infection in cattle appears to be centred on the udder, with milk from infected animals showing high viral loads and representing a new vehicle of transmission. Apart from cattle, HPAI viruses were identified in two other mammal species (alpaca and walrus) for the first time. Between 13 March and 20 June 2024, 14 new human cases with avian influenza virus infection were reported from Vietnam (one A(H5N1), one A(H9N2)), Australia (with travel history to India, one A(H5N1)), USA (three A(H5N1)), China (two A(H5N6), three A(H9N2), one A(H10N3)), India (one A(H9N2)), and Mexico (one fatal A(H5N2) case). The latter case was the first laboratory-confirmed human infection with avian influenza virus subtype A(H5N2). Most of the human cases had reported exposure to poultry, live poultry markets, or dairy cattle prior to avian influenza virus detection or onset of illness. Human infections with avian influenza viruses remain rare and no human-to-human transmission has been observed. The risk of infection with currently circulating avian A(H5) influenza viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b in Europe remains low for the general public in the EU/EEA. The risk of infection remains low-to-moderate for those occupationally or otherwise exposed to infected animals or contaminated environments.
