Alberta - Avian flu in mammals 2022-2025

[Shiloh]

Source: https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/bird-flu-found-in-alberta-skunks-for-first-time-experts-1.5913063

Bird flu found in Alberta skunks for first time: experts
Alex Antoneshyn
CTVNewsEdmonton.ca Digital Producer
Updated May 20, 2022 8:41 p.m. EDT
Published May 20, 2022 6:18 p.m. EDT

Alberta is the latest Canadian province to have found avian influenza, or bird flu, in another species.

Cases of bird flu have been confirmed in skunks in the Vegreville-Wainwright-Lloydminster area in east-central Alberta, according to the province's wildlife disease specialist.

"[Avian influenza] was brought into the province in early April in migrating waterfowl, primarily the geese. As a number of geese died, we started getting reports about a number of dead skunks," Dr. Margo Pybus told CTV News Edmonton.

The skunks tested negative for rabies and positive for bird flu...

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://globalnews.ca/news/8862368/alberta-avian-flu-mammal-cases/

Alberta confirms 5 cases of avian flu spreading to mammals
By Carolyn Kury de Castillo Global News
Posted May 23, 2022 6:28 pm
Updated May 23, 2022 6:29 pm

Alberta now has five confirmed cases of avian flu that have spread from birds to mammals.

Five skunks from central Alberta have been lab-confirmed as having avian influenza.

“We had an unusually large number of calls about skunks that were acting strange or being found dead and it was all within the area where we had confirmed that the avian influenza virus was present in the snow geese,” Dr. Margo Pybus, a provincial wildlife disease specialist with Fish and Wildlife Alberta Environment and Parks, said.

“We believe that the skunks are feeding on the dead geese and they are getting enough virus that it’s actually affecting the skunks.”...

 

[sharon sanders]

bump this

 

[Lance]

Canada - Influenza A viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-) - Follow up report 17


GENERAL INFORMATION

COUNTRY/TERRITORY OR ZONE
COUNTRY/TERRITORY

ANIMAL TYPE
TERRESTRIAL

DISEASE CATEGORY
Listed disease

EVENT ID
4438

DISEASE
Influenza A viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-)

CAUSAL AGENT
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

GENOTYPE / SEROTYPE / SUBTYPE
H5N1

START DATE
2022/04/03

REASON FOR NOTIFICATION
Unusual host species

DATE OF LAST OCCURRENCE- CONFIRMATION DATE
2022/05/02

EVENT STATUS
On-going

END DATE- SELF-DECLARATION

NO REPORT INFORMATION

REPORT NUMBER
Follow-up report 17

REPORT ID
FUR_166677

REPORT REFERENCE- REPORT DATE
2024/04/12

REPORT STATUS
Validated

NO EVOLUTION REPORT

EPIDEMIOLOGY

SOURCE OF EVENT OR ORIGIN OF INFECTION

• Contact with wild species
• Unknown or inconclusive

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS
We report additional cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus in skunks. Outbreaks are reported by province/territory. The geographical marker is on the capital. For detailed and current information on high pathogenicity avian influenza cases in wildlife, please consult : http://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/avian_influenza.php

QUANTITATIVE DATA SUMMARY

MEASURING UNIT
Animal

SpeciesSusceptibleCasesDeathsKilled and Disposed ofSlaughtered/ Killed for commercial useVaccinated Cats (DOMESTIC)NEW------TOTAL4211-- Dogs (DOMESTIC)NEW------TOTAL-11--- Domestic cat (WILD)NEW------TOTAL-33--- Striped Skunk (WILD)NEW-42---TOTAL-70387-- American Mink (WILD)NEW------TOTAL-321-- Harbor Seal (WILD)NEW------TOTAL-1717--- Racoon (Northern raccoon) (WILD)NEW------TOTAL-32--- American Black Bear (black bear) (WILD)NEW------TOTAL-211-- Red Fox (WILD)NEW------TOTAL-45357-- All speciesNEW-42---TOTAL414610017--

DIAGNOSTIC DETAILS

CLINICAL SIGNS
YES

METHOD OF DIAGNOSTIC
Diagnostic test

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR)	National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD), Winnipeg, Manitoba	Racoon (Northern raccoon),Striped Skunk,American Mink,American Black Bear (black bear),Harbor Seal,Red Fox,Dogs,Domestic cat,Cats	43	2022/05/02	2024/03/28	Positive
Gene sequencing	National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD), Winnipeg, Manitoba	American Mink,Striped Skunk,Cats,Red Fox,Racoon (Northern raccoon),Harbor Seal,Dogs,Domestic cat,American Black Bear (black bear)	43	2022/05/01	2024/03/28	Positive

​https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/4438​

NEW OUTBREAKS

OB_133538 - AB-2024-HPAIM-001 - ALBERTA - MAMMALS 2024

OB_133802 - QC-2024-HPAIM-001 - QUÉBEC - MAMMALS 2024

OB_133801 - PEI-2024-HPAIM-001 - PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - MAMMALS 2024
​

 

[Pathfinder]

Keeping H5N1 out of Alberta's dairy herd as U.S. outbreak continues

Province's chief veterinarian urges careful monitoring

Jennifer Lee · CBC News · Posted: Jun 03, 2024 6:00 AM CDT | Last Updated: 8 hours ago
...
As Alberta's chief veterinarian, Dr. Keith Lehman is keeping a close eye on the U.S. dairy cattle outbreaks.

"[I'm] certainly concerned because we've seen the impact that it can have in the United States," he said in an interview.

According to Lehman, H5N1 has been identified in 82 Alberta poultry establishments, ranging from commercial farms to backyard flocks, since April of 2022. That includes two in February of this year. All impacted flocks have been culled.

But it has not been identified in any Canadian dairy cattle.

"Knowing that [there was] a single point of introduction from wild birds, knowing that we've put import controls nationally that require testing of cattle coming up from the U.S., I think our risk of introduction into the Canadian herd is really dramatically reduced," he said.
...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/h5n1-alberta-dairy-herd-american-outbreak-1.7221102

 

[Lance]

​

https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/4438

 

[Pathfinder]

Avian flu outbreak reaches Alberta’s wild boar population

By Jamie Rothenburger, DVM
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Published: 2 days ago
...
A new study by my colleagues at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine have discovered that this particular avian influenza virus has also reached wild pig (wild boar) populations in Alberta.

The research group, led by Dr. Mathieu Pruvot, used samples from 267 wild pigs that were collected between 2021-24 as part of the Alberta Wild Boar Control program.

Dr. Oshin Ley Garcia, veterinarian and PhD student on the project, and colleagues tested blood samples for antibodies against the current highly pathogenic strain of avian flu circulating in Alberta. They found that five animals out of the 120 tested (four percent) of wild pigs had positive antibodies. All positive animals were mature adults and there was a mix of males and females.
...
No animals were positive for active infections in the group tested. This result indicates wild pigs have been exposed to the virus previously and survived the infection.

It isn’t clear how the wild pigs are getting exposed to the virus. However, possibilities include eating dead infected animals and/or exposure to the virus from outdoor domestic bird flocks, contaminated water bodies and food.
...
The significance of the study is two-fold.

First, pigs in general are a supreme mixing vessel for influenza viruses. They have the correct virus receptors in their respiratory tract to become infected with bird, human and pig type viruses.
​...
The second issue is that this study shows the interconnectedness of wild pigs with wildlife, the environment and agriculture.

Wild pigs can navigate between these systems if unchecked, and there is growing evidence that they can share a range of pathogens with domestic pigs, particularly those kept in outdoor settings.
​...

https://www.producer.com/livestock/avian-flu-outbreak-reaches-albertas-wild-boar-population/
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See also:

Hat tip to Tetano:

Transbound Emerg Dis . Serological Evidence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1) in Invasive Wild Pigs in Western Canada

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/welcome-to-the-scientific-library/other-scientific-studies-including-seasonal-novel-flu/h5n1-research-studies-papers-academia/1024783-transbound-emerg-dis-serological-evidence-of-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-h5n1-in-invasive-wild-pigs-in-western-canada​

 

[Commonground]

[emphasis is mine]

Death of dog after avian influenza exposure in Alberta marks second such case in Canada
Goldendoodle died after catching bird flu from snow goose

Dec 19, 2025​

A dog in Alberta died after being exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), according to the Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian.
It's the second confirmed fatal case of avian flu in a domestic dog in Canada, with the first being reported in Oshawa, Ont., in 2023. That dog also contracted the disease from a snow goose.

The Alberta dog was brought to a veterinarian in the central part of the province in November 2025 after it had "ingested" a snow goose, according to the province. After the dog's body was sent to the University of Calgary diagnostic services unit, it was confirmed the dog had contracted avian influenza.

The Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian reported the fatal case earlier this week, in a memo emailed to veterinarians across Alberta on Tuesday.

Hussein Keshwani, the deputy chief provincial veterinarian, said the dog — a 10-year-old female goldendoodle — was already being treated for immune disease, which may have contributed to its death. The dog died four days after being brought to a vet.​
​

It's not clear how the dog became exposed to the snow goose, but Keshwani said it's a reminder that pet owners should keep their animals from consuming raw meat.

"If people can avoid letting their cats roam outdoors or have dogs off-leash, particularly in the migration season, then that's sort of the best way to avoid them coming into contact with sick and dead wildlife or contaminated water," Keshwani said.

The Office of the Chief Provincial Veterinarian and the University of Calgary declined to provide a more precise location for the exposure. Keshwani said specifying the location wasn't necessary, as potentially infected birds cover such a large area of the province that "anywhere the wild birds are congregating becomes a risk area."
​
continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/hpai-avian-influenza-dog-alberta-9.7023269


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[Pathfinder]

Related to the post #8 above:

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https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid....25650007574629524&idorvanity=266436150080016

 

[Commonground]

This is an excerpt out of the Report that tetano posted mentioned in Post #7 above

Natural infections of swine with HPAI H5N1 are not frequently observed. Only a limited number of studies have reported the occurrence of H5N1 in domestic pigs, with findings indicating rates of 0.18% in China [54], 0.25% in Vietnam [55], 7.4% in Indonesia [56], and 14% in Nigeria [57]. Notably, in 2021, in Rome, Italy, free-ranging pigs without clinical sign tested serologically positive for an H5N1 strain homologous to HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, which had previously been detected during an outbreak in neighboring backyard laying hens, although RT-PCR results in pigs were negative [58]. More recently, the first documented case of H5N1 infection in swine in the United States was reported in October 2024 on a backyard farm in Oregon, where H5N1 was initially detected in poultry before subsequently being identified in co-housed pigs [59].

This study provides evidence of antibodies against HPAI H5N1 in free-ranging invasive wild pigs in Canada; similar findings were reported in Saskatchewan (T. Bollinger, personal communication). Since these wild pigs were captured live, they clearly survived the infection. The detection of antibodies against H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b viruses in wild pigs raises questions about the potential role of this species as a bridge host, with implications for spillover risk, inter-species transmission, and viral evolution. As wild and domestic pigs are conspecific (Sus scrofa), their genetic relatedness may facilitate pathogen transmission exchange [60]. This is considered particularly concerning in backyard farming systems, which often have limited or no biosecurity.

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