tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
J Gen Virol
. 2024 Jul;105(7).
doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.002003. Red knots in Europe: a dead end host species or a new niche for highly pathogenic avian influenza?
Jacqueline King[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anne Pohlmann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Andreas Bange[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Elisabeth Horn[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bernd Hälterlein[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Angele Breithaupt[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Anja Globig[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Anne Günther[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Angie Kelm[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Christian Wiedemann[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Christian Grund[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Karena Haecker[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Stefan Garthe[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Timm Harder[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Martin Beer[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Philipp Schwemmer[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
The 2020/2021 epidemic in Europe of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) of subtype H5 surpassed all previously recorded European outbreaks in size, genotype constellations and reassortment frequency and continued into 2022 and 2023. The causative 2.3.4.4b viral lineage proved to be highly proficient with respect to reassortment with cocirculating low pathogenic avian influenza viruses and seems to establish an endemic status in northern Europe. A specific HPAIV reassortant of the subtype H5N3 was detected almost exclusively in red knots (Calidris canutus islandica) in December 2020. It caused systemic and rapidly fatal disease leading to a singular and self-limiting mass mortality affecting about 3500 birds in the German Wadden Sea, roughly 1 % of the entire flyway population of islandica red knots. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the H5N3 reassortant very likely had formed in red knots and remained confined to this species. While mechanisms of virus circulation in potential reservoir species, dynamics of spill-over and reassortment events and the roles of environmental virus sources remain to be identified, the year-round infection pressure poses severe threats to endangered avian species and prompts adaptation of habitat and species conservation practices.
Keywords: H5N3; highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI); mortality; reassortant; red knot (Calidris canutus islandica).
. 2024 Jul;105(7).
doi: 10.1099/jgv.0.002003. Red knots in Europe: a dead end host species or a new niche for highly pathogenic avian influenza?
Jacqueline King[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Anne Pohlmann[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Andreas Bange[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Elisabeth Horn[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Bernd Hälterlein[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Angele Breithaupt[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Anja Globig[SUP] 5 [/SUP], Anne Günther[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Angie Kelm[SUP] 4 [/SUP], Christian Wiedemann[SUP] 3 [/SUP], Christian Grund[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Karena Haecker[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Stefan Garthe[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Timm Harder[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Martin Beer[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Philipp Schwemmer[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 38975739
- DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.002003
The 2020/2021 epidemic in Europe of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) of subtype H5 surpassed all previously recorded European outbreaks in size, genotype constellations and reassortment frequency and continued into 2022 and 2023. The causative 2.3.4.4b viral lineage proved to be highly proficient with respect to reassortment with cocirculating low pathogenic avian influenza viruses and seems to establish an endemic status in northern Europe. A specific HPAIV reassortant of the subtype H5N3 was detected almost exclusively in red knots (Calidris canutus islandica) in December 2020. It caused systemic and rapidly fatal disease leading to a singular and self-limiting mass mortality affecting about 3500 birds in the German Wadden Sea, roughly 1 % of the entire flyway population of islandica red knots. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the H5N3 reassortant very likely had formed in red knots and remained confined to this species. While mechanisms of virus circulation in potential reservoir species, dynamics of spill-over and reassortment events and the roles of environmental virus sources remain to be identified, the year-round infection pressure poses severe threats to endangered avian species and prompts adaptation of habitat and species conservation practices.
Keywords: H5N3; highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI); mortality; reassortant; red knot (Calidris canutus islandica).