Avian Influenza Overview March - June 2022

Overview

Journal EFSA J

Date 2022 Aug 11

PMID 35949938

Authors

Cornelia Adlhoch

Alice Fusaro

Jose L Gonzales

Thijs Kuiken

Stefano Marangon

Eric Niqueux

Christoph Staubach

Calogero Terregino

Inma Aznar

Irene Munoz Guajardo

Francesca Baldinelli

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The 2021-2022 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) epidemic season is the largest epidemic so far observed in Europe, with a total of 2,398 outbreaks in poultry, 46 million birds culled in the affected establishments, 168 detections in captive birds, and 2,733 HPAI events in wild birds in 36 European countries. Between 16 March and 10 June 2022, 1,182 HPAI virus detections were reported in 28 EU/EEA countries and United Kingdom in poultry (750), and in wild (410) and captive birds (22). During this reporting period, 86% of the poultry outbreaks were secondary due to between-farm spread of HPAI virus. France accounted for 68% of the overall poultry outbreaks, Hungary for 24% and all other affected countries for less than 2% each. Most detections in wild birds were reported by Germany (158), followed by the Netherlands (98) and the United Kingdom (48). The observed persistence of HPAI (H5) virus in wild birds since the 2020-2021 epidemic wave indicates that it may have become endemic in wild bird populations in Europe, implying that the health risk from HPAI A(H5) for poultry, humans, and wildlife in Europe remains present year-round, with the highest risk in the autumn and winter months. Response options to this new epidemiological situation include the definition and the rapid implementation of suitable and sustainable HPAI mitigation strategies such as appropriate biosecurity measures and surveillance strategies for early detection measures in the different poultry production systems. Medium to long-term strategies for reducing poultry density in high-risk areas should also be considered. The results of the genetic analysis indicate that the viruses currently circulating in Europe belong to clade 2.3.4.4b. HPAI A(H5) viruses were also detected in wild mammal species in Canada, USA and Japan, and showed genetic markers of adaptation to replication in mammals. Since the last report, four A(H5N6), two A(H9N2) and two A(H3N8) human infections were reported in China and one A(H5N1) in USA. The risk of infection is assessed as low for the general population in the EU/EEA, and low to medium for occupationally exposed people.

Citing Articles

Spatial risk modelling of highly pathogenic avian influenza in France: Fattening duck farm activity matters.

Artois J, Vergne T, Fourtune L, Dellicour S, Scoizec A, Le Bouquin S PLoS One. 2025; 20(2):e0316248.

PMID: 39903711 PMC: 11793745. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0316248.

Avian influenza annual report 2023.

Abrahantes J, Aznar I, Catalin I, Kohnle L, Mulligan K, Mur L EFSA J. 2025; 23(1):e9197.

PMID: 39844828 PMC: 11751681. DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9197.

Avian raptors are indicator species and victims of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus HPAIV H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in Germany.

Gunther A, Krone O, Globig A, Pohlmann A, King J, Fast C Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):28779.

PMID: 39567708 PMC: 11579473. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-79930-x.

Pinnipeds and avian influenza: a global timeline and review of research on the impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza on pinniped populations with particular reference to the endangered Caspian seal ().

Gadzhiev A, Petherbridge G, Sharshov K, Sobolev I, Alekseev A, Gulyaeva M Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2024; 14:1325977.

PMID: 39071164 PMC: 11273096. DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1325977.

Evaluating the epizootic and zoonotic threat of an H7N9 low-pathogenicity avian influenza virus (LPAIV) variant associated with enhanced pathogenicity in turkeys.

James J, Thomas S, Seekings A, Mahmood S, Kelly M, Banyard A J Gen Virol. 2024; 105(7).

PMID: 38980150 PMC: 11316556. DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.002008.

References

Pyankova O, Susloparov I, Moiseeva A, Kolosova N, Onkhonova G, Danilenko A . Isolation of clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N8), a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, from a worker during an outbreak on a poultry farm, Russia, December 2020. Euro Surveill. 2021; 26(24). PMC: 8212591. DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.24.2100439. View

Gonzales J, Elbers A . Effective thresholds for reporting suspicions and improve early detection of avian influenza outbreaks in layer chickens. Sci Rep. 2018; 8(1):8533. PMC: 5986775. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26954-9. View

Li Y, Chen C, Chang A, Chao D, Smith G . Co-circulation of both low and highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses in current poultry epidemics in Taiwan. Virus Evol. 2020; 6(1):veaa037. PMC: 7326300. DOI: 10.1093/ve/veaa037. View

Bonfante F, Mazzetto E, Zanardello C, Fortin A, Gobbo F, Maniero S . A G1-lineage H9N2 virus with oviduct tropism causes chronic pathological changes in the infundibulum and a long-lasting drop in egg production. Vet Res. 2018; 49(1):83. PMC: 6116506. DOI: 10.1186/s13567-018-0575-1. View

Zecchin B, Minoungou G, Fusaro A, Moctar S, Ouedraogo-Kabore A, Schivo A . Influenza A(H9N2) Virus, Burkina Faso. Emerg Infect Dis. 2017; 23(12):2118-2119. PMC: 5708222. DOI: 10.3201/eid2312.171294. View

Herfst S, Schrauwen E, Linster M, Chutinimitkul S, de Wit E, Munster V . Airborne transmission of influenza A/H5N1 virus between ferrets. Science. 2012; 336(6088):1534-41. PMC: 4810786. DOI: 10.1126/science.1213362. View

Smith G, Donis R . Nomenclature updates resulting from the evolution of avian influenza A(H5) virus clades 2.1.3.2a, 2.2.1, and 2.3.4 during 2013-2014. Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2015; 9(5):271-6. PMC: 4548997. DOI: 10.1111/irv.12324. View

Rijks J, Hesselink H, Lollinga P, Wesselman R, Prins P, Weesendorp E . Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Wild Red Foxes, the Netherlands, 2021. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021; 27(11):2960-2962. PMC: 8544991. DOI: 10.3201/eid2711.211281. View

Beerens N, Germeraad E, Venema S, Verheij E, Pritz-Verschuren S, Gonzales J . Comparative pathogenicity and environmental transmission of recent highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020; 10(1):97-108. PMC: 7832006. DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1868274. View

10.

Wang W, Lu B, Zhou H, Suguitan Jr A, Cheng X, Subbarao K . Glycosylation at 158N of the hemagglutinin protein and receptor binding specificity synergistically affect the antigenicity and immunogenicity of a live attenuated H5N1 A/Vietnam/1203/2004 vaccine virus in ferrets. J Virol. 2010; 84(13):6570-7. PMC: 2903256. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.00221-10. View

11.

Smietanka K, Swieton E, Wyrostek K, Kozak E, Tarasiuk K, Stys-Fijol N . Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5Nx in Poland in 2020/2021: a Descriptive Epidemiological Study of a Large-scale Epidemic. J Vet Res. 2022; 66(1):1-7. PMC: 8959680. DOI: 10.2478/jvetres-2022-0017. View

12.

Adlhoch C, Baldinelli F, Fusaro A, Terregino C . Avian influenza, a new threat to public health in Europe?. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2021; 28(2):149-151. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2021.11.005. View

13.

Kariithi H, Welch C, Ferreira H, Pusch E, Ateya L, Binepal Y . Genetic characterization and pathogenesis of the first H9N2 low pathogenic avian influenza viruses isolated from chickens in Kenyan live bird markets. Infect Genet Evol. 2019; 78:104074. DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.104074. View

14.

Adlhoch C, Kuiken T, Monne I, Mulatti P, Smietanka K, Staubach C . Avian influenza overview November 2018 - February 2019. EFSA J. 2020; 17(3):e05664. PMC: 7009136. DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2019.5664. View

15.

Chrzastek K, Lee D, Gharaibeh S, Zsak A, Kapczynski D . Characterization of H9N2 avian influenza viruses from the Middle East demonstrates heterogeneity at amino acid position 226 in the hemagglutinin and potential for transmission to mammals. Virology. 2018; 518:195-201. DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2018.02.016. View

16.

Adlhoch C, Fusaro A, Gonzales J, Kuiken T, Marangon S, Niqueux E . Avian influenza overview December 2021 - March 2022. EFSA J. 2022; 20(4):e07289. PMC: 8978176. DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7289. View

17.

Caliendo V, Mensink M, Begeman L, Embregts C, de Vrijer M, De Baerdemaeker A . HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS (H5N8) OUTBREAK IN A WILD BIRD RESCUE CENTER, THE NETHERLANDS: CONSEQUENCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS. J Zoo Wildl Med. 2022; 53(1):41-49. DOI: 10.1638/2021-0083. View

18.

Floyd T, Banyard A, Lean F, Byrne A, Fullick E, Whittard E . Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom. Emerg Infect Dis. 2021; 27(11):2856-2863. PMC: 8544989. DOI: 10.3201/eid2711.211225. View

19.

Yamayoshi S, Kiso M, Yasuhara A, Ito M, Shu Y, Kawaoka Y . Enhanced Replication of Highly Pathogenic Influenza A(H7N9) Virus in Humans. Emerg Infect Dis. 2018; 24(4):746-750. PMC: 5875272. DOI: 10.3201/eid2404.171509. View

20.

Suttie A, Deng Y, Greenhill A, Dussart P, Horwood P, Karlsson E . Inventory of molecular markers affecting biological characteristics of avian influenza A viruses. Virus Genes. 2019; 55(6):739-768. PMC: 6831541. DOI: 10.1007/s11262-019-01700-z. View