P.E.I., Canada: H5N5 in wild birds and mammals

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-avian-flu-virus-h5n5-raccoons-1.6861818

PEI extension
New avian flu virus subtype found in P.E.I. birds and raccoons
Scientist says virus behaves similarly to a strain already circulating in Atlantic
Arturo Chang · CBC News · Posted: Jun 01, 2023 11:20 AM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours ago

A new subtype of the avian influenza virus has been detected in birds and raccoons on Prince Edward Island.

H5N5 is a subtype of the bird flu virus. It's closely related to the H5N1 virus that has caused mass death among seabird populations in Atlantic Canada in the past year or so.

On the Island, H5N5 cases have been discovered in Prince County. They include some birds around Summerside, but also some dead raccoons found on the North Shore.

This is the first time H5N5 has been found in mammals.

"It has been detected in some crows, in a red-tailed hawk in the winter ... And then recently, beginning of April, we received some raccoons which it was found in," said Megan Jones, director of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative for the Atlantic region, and an assistant professor at the Atlantic Veterinary College...​

 

[Lance]

Canada - Influenza A viruses of high pathogenicity (Inf. with) (non-poultry including wild birds) (2017-) - Follow up report 5


GENERAL INFORMATION

COUNTRY/TERRITORY OR ZONE
COUNTRY/TERRITORY

ANIMAL TYPE
TERRESTRIAL

DISEASE CATEGORY
Listed disease

EVENT ID
5065

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
H5N5
\
START DATE
2023/04/04

REASON FOR NOTIFICATION
Unusual host species

DATE OF LAST OCCURRENCE- CONFIRMATION DATE
2023/05/19

EVENT STATUS
On-going

END DATE- SELF-DECLARATION

NO REPORT INFORMATION

REPORT NUMBER
Follow-up report 5

REPORT ID
FUR_167269

REPORT REFERENCE- REPORT DATE
2024/05/13

REPORT STATUS
Validated

NO EVOLUTION REPORT

EPIDEMIOLOGY

SOURCE OF EVENT OR ORIGIN OF INFECTION

• Unknown or inconclusive
• Contact with wild species

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS
We report additional cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza Fully Eurasian H5N5 (2.3.4.4b) virus in mammals from Prince Edward Island. 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 Striped Skunk (WILD)NEW-33---TOTAL-44--- Racoon (Northern raccoon) (WILD)NEW-11---TOTAL-77--- Red Fox (WILD)NEW------TOTAL-22--- All speciesNEW-44---TOTAL-1313---

DIAGNOSTIC DETAILS

CLINICAL SIGNS
YES

METHOD OF DIAGNOSTIC
Diagnostic test

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR)	Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD), Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health	Racoon (Northern raccoon),Striped Skunk,Red Fox	4	2023/05/19	2024/05/02	Positive
Gene sequencing	Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD), Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health	Striped Skunk,Red Fox,Racoon (Northern raccoon)	4	2023/05/19	2024/05/02	Positive

https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5065


UPDATED OUTBREAKS

OB_133539 - PEI-2024-H5N5-MAM (1) - PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND - MAMMALS​

 

[Lance]

​https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5283

 

[Lance]

​https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5065

 

[Pathfinder]

International HPAI in cats -

In Canada, one domestic cat was infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N5 in Prince Edward Island (WOAH report, May 08, 2025)
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https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5065​

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https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5065​​