Norway - Avian influenza in mammals 2024

[Pathfinder]

Walrus Dies From Bird Flu On Arctic Island: Researcher

By AFP - Agence France Presse
April 29, 2024
...

The walrus was found last year on Hopen island in the Svalbard archipelago, Christian Lydersen, of the Norwegian Polar Institute, told AFP.

Tests carried out by a German laboratory revealed the presence of bird flu, Lydersen said. The sample was too small to determine whether it was the H5N1 or the H5N8 strain.

"It is the first time that bird flu has been recorded in a walrus," Lydersen said.

About six dead walrus were found last year in the Svalbard islands, about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) from the North Pole and halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole.

Lydersen said it was "not improbable" that some of them had the bird flu.

...

https://www.barrons.com/news/walrus-dies-from-bird-flu-on-arctic-island-researcher-71e0021b

 

[Lance]

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


GENERAL INFORMATION

COUNTRY/TERRITORY OR ZONE
ZONE

ANIMAL TYPE
TERRESTRIAL

DISEASE CATEGORY
Listed disease

EVENT ID
5723

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
H5 (N untyped)

START DATE
2023/06/15

REASON FOR NOTIFICATION
Unusual host species

DATE OF LAST OCCURRENCE- CONFIRMATION DATE
2023/06/22

EVENT STATUS
On-going

END DATE- SELF-DECLARATION

NO REPORT INFORMATION

REPORT NUMBER
Immediate notification

REPORT ID
IN_167916

REPORT REFERENCE- REPORT DATE
2024/06/21

REPORT STATUS
Validated

NO EVOLUTION REPORT

EPIDEMIOLOGY

SOURCE OF EVENT OR ORIGIN OF INFECTION

• Unknown or inconclusive

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS
No epidemiological comment

QUANTITATIVE DATA SUMMARY

MEASURING UNIT
Animal

SpeciesSusceptibleCasesDeathsKilled and Disposed ofSlaughtered/ Killed for commercial useVaccinated Walrus (WILD)NEW-11---TOTAL-11---

DIAGNOSTIC DETAILS

CLINICAL SIGNS
YES

METHOD OF DIAGNOSTIC
Diagnostic test

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR)	Institute of Virology, Hannover, DEU	Walrus	1	2023/06/22	2023/06/22	Positive

​https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5723

 

[Pathfinder]

Excerpt from the report (above):
...
AFFECTED POPULATION DESCRIPTION
On Tuesday, April 30, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority was made aware of an article discussing a walrus found dead on Hopen last summer by researchers from the Polar Institute. The researchers took samples from the walrus and sent them for analysis to a German laboratory, Inst. Virology, Univ. Vet. Med, Hannover, Germany. The conclusion was that the walrus died of avian influenza. The Veterinary Institute contacted one of the researchers. They stated that initially, several dead walruses were observed at the same location, but they only managed to take samples from one animal. The German laboratory only detected H5 because there was insufficient sample material left for further subtyping. They confirmed that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority was not notified, either at the discovery of the dead animals, during the sampling, or when the analysis results were available. The Institute of Virology at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover in Germany reports that the H5 subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) detected is almost identical to sequences of the HPAIV H5N1 subtype detected in bird samples in 2022. We have no information of the exact date in June 2023.
...

 

[Pathfinder]

Translation Google

Highly pathogenic avian influenza detected in lynx


Published 20.12.2024


Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) of the subtype H5N5 has been detected in a young lynx in Burfjord, in the municipality of Kvænangen. The lynx was probably infected after contact with a sick or dead bird.

The lynx on the autopsy table. Photo: Norwegian Veterinary Institute.

This is the first time that HPAI of the subtype H5N5 has been detected in lynx. The H5N5 virus has been detected in gulls and crows in a number of places along the Norwegian coast this autumn, especially in the northernmost counties . H5N5 was also detected in two red foxes in Storfjord municipality in February, and has otherwise been found in seabirds and birds of prey in the United Kingdom, the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Canada. The subtype H5N1, which is currently the most common avian influenza variant in other countries in Europe, has previously been detected in a lynx in Finland. It has also been detected in other felines.

Avian influenza in mammals

Mammals can be infected with bird flu through direct contact with sick or dead birds, or indirectly through the environment. Local authorities report that there have been many such wild birds in the area where the lynx was found. Worldwide, bird flu has been detected in a number of wild predators and marine mammals. Bird flu causes infection and inflammation of the lungs and brain, and clinical signs of the disease may therefore include lethargy, abnormal behavior, tilted head position, circling, seizures, poor balance and paralysis of the front and hind legs.

Found apathetic

The young male lynx from Burfjord was found sitting apathetic on a road. After a day of observation, the prognosis was assessed as poor, and the Norwegian Nature Conservation Service euthanized the lynx and sent it for examination in consultation with the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. The autopsy showed that the lynx was in good condition and had had an acute course of the disease. Further examinations showed that the virus was only present in the brain.

Asking people to report sick animals

It is important that the public is aware of sick animals in areas with confirmed HPAI in the wild bird population, and reports this to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. This call applies especially if the animals show signs of illness as described above. Avian influenza can also be transmitted to dogs and cats. Be aware that there may be dead and sick birds lying around. Dog and cat owners should keep an eye out and keep their pets away from these.

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute monitors avian influenza in animals and, in collaboration with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, monitors whether the virus's genetic material changes in such a way that it becomes better adapted and can better transmit between mammals. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Norwegian Veterinary Institute collaborate on avian influenza surveillance in the EU project One Health for Surveillance . The Norwegian Institute of Public Health generally assesses the risk of infection with avian influenza to humans as very low. Read their advice for preventing the transmission of avian influenza to humans here (NVI)

...

​https://www.vetinst.no/nyheter/hoypatogen-fugleinfluensa-pavist-hos-gaupe