Iceland: an Underestimated Hub for the Spread of High-pathogenicity Avian Influenza Viruses in the North Atlantic

Overview

Journal J Gen Virol

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2024 May 2

PMID 38695722

Authors

Ann Kathrin Ahrens

Stefan Ragnar Jonsson

Vilhjalmur Svansson

Brigitte Brugger

Martin Beer

Timm C Harder

Anne Pohlmann

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

High-pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of the goose/Guangdong lineage are enzootically circulating in wild bird populations worldwide. This increases the risk of entry into poultry production and spill-over to mammalian species, including humans. Better understanding of the ecological and epizootiological networks of these viruses is essential to optimize mitigation measures. Based on full genome sequences of 26 HPAIV samples from Iceland, which were collected between spring and autumn 2022, as well as 1 sample from the 2023 summer period, we show that 3 different genotypes of HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b were circulating within the wild bird population in Iceland in 2022. Furthermore, in 2023 we observed a novel introduction of HPAIV H5N5 of the same clade to Iceland. The data support the role of Iceland as an utmost northwestern distribution area in Europe that might act also as a potential bridging point for intercontinental spread of HPAIV across the North Atlantic.

Citing Articles

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PMID: 39584190 PMC: 11583075. DOI: 10.1002/cti2.70017.

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