Treyfish
Moderator
2023.03.03
Highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) in marine mammals and seabirds in Peru
View ORCID Profile Mariana Leguia, Alejandra Garcia-Glaessner, Breno Munoz-Saavedra, Diana Juarez, Patricia Barrera, Carlos Calvo-Mac, Javier Jara, Walter Silva, Karl Ploog, Lady Amaro, Paulo Colchao-Claux, Marcela M Uhart, Martha I Nelson, Jesus Lescano
doi: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.03.531008v1
This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review.
0000007
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A/H5N1 viruses (lineage 2.3.4.4b) are rapidly invading the Americas, threatening wildlife, poultry, and potentially evolving into the next global pandemic. In November 2022, HPAI arrived in Peru, where massive pelican and sea lion die-offs are still underway.
These viruses are rapidly accruing mutations as they spread south.
Peruvian viruses do not contain PB2 E627K or D701N mutations linked to mammalian host adaptation and enhanced transmission, but at least 8 novel polymorphic sites warrant further examination. This is the first report of HPAI A/H5N1 in marine birds and mammals from South America, highlighting an urgent need for active local surveillance to manage outbreaks and limit spillover into humans.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
..... We suspect that direct HPAI transmission between sea lions could be occurring, rather than independent spillovers into sea lions from avian sources, but additional sequence data and analysis will be required to assess this. We report 40 variable sites previously linked to altered polymerase activity and replication efficiency, increased virus binding to α2-3 and α2-6, enhanced transmission, and increased virulence and pathogenicity, including in mammals23,24,27 237 .
However, we did not find mutations in PB2 (E627K, D701N, K702R) that have been specifically linked to mammalian host adaptation and enhanced transmission. In fact, the viruses sequenced from sea lion and dolphin were genetically similar to each other, but also to viruses from all positive birds, underscoring that it is not possible to discern the direction of transmission among these species from the data available.
snip
Another scenario for transmission involves carnivory and scavenging of infected animal carcasses by marine and terrestrial carnivores, as well as by raptors, gulls, and other scavenger birds .
snip
There are outstanding questions about which migratory bird species are involved in the longdistance dissemination of HPAI from North to South America, possibly by way of Central America. We detected clade 2.3.4.4b in a migratory sanderling (Calidris alba) that would have arrived in Peru afterbreeding in the Canadian arctic. However, Calidris spp. are an unlikely conduit for HPAIV A/H5N1 because experimental inoculations result in death or dise.....
:tiphat:
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...03.03.531008v1
Highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) in marine mammals and seabirds in Peru
View ORCID Profile Mariana Leguia, Alejandra Garcia-Glaessner, Breno Munoz-Saavedra, Diana Juarez, Patricia Barrera, Carlos Calvo-Mac, Javier Jara, Walter Silva, Karl Ploog, Lady Amaro, Paulo Colchao-Claux, Marcela M Uhart, Martha I Nelson, Jesus Lescano
doi: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.03.03.531008v1
This article is a preprint and has not been certified by peer review.
0000007
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A/H5N1 viruses (lineage 2.3.4.4b) are rapidly invading the Americas, threatening wildlife, poultry, and potentially evolving into the next global pandemic. In November 2022, HPAI arrived in Peru, where massive pelican and sea lion die-offs are still underway.
These viruses are rapidly accruing mutations as they spread south.
Peruvian viruses do not contain PB2 E627K or D701N mutations linked to mammalian host adaptation and enhanced transmission, but at least 8 novel polymorphic sites warrant further examination. This is the first report of HPAI A/H5N1 in marine birds and mammals from South America, highlighting an urgent need for active local surveillance to manage outbreaks and limit spillover into humans.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.
..... We suspect that direct HPAI transmission between sea lions could be occurring, rather than independent spillovers into sea lions from avian sources, but additional sequence data and analysis will be required to assess this. We report 40 variable sites previously linked to altered polymerase activity and replication efficiency, increased virus binding to α2-3 and α2-6, enhanced transmission, and increased virulence and pathogenicity, including in mammals23,24,27 237 .
However, we did not find mutations in PB2 (E627K, D701N, K702R) that have been specifically linked to mammalian host adaptation and enhanced transmission. In fact, the viruses sequenced from sea lion and dolphin were genetically similar to each other, but also to viruses from all positive birds, underscoring that it is not possible to discern the direction of transmission among these species from the data available.
snip
Another scenario for transmission involves carnivory and scavenging of infected animal carcasses by marine and terrestrial carnivores, as well as by raptors, gulls, and other scavenger birds .
snip
There are outstanding questions about which migratory bird species are involved in the longdistance dissemination of HPAI from North to South America, possibly by way of Central America. We detected clade 2.3.4.4b in a migratory sanderling (Calidris alba) that would have arrived in Peru afterbreeding in the Canadian arctic. However, Calidris spp. are an unlikely conduit for HPAIV A/H5N1 because experimental inoculations result in death or dise.....
:tiphat:
