Detection and spread of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus H5N1 in the Antarctic Region

Ashley C. Banyard (), Ashley Bennison, Alexander M. P. Byrne, Scott M. Reid, Joshua G. Lynton-Jenkins, Benjamin Mollett, Dilhani Silva, Jacob Peers-Dent, Kim Finlayson, Rosamund Hall, Freya Blockley, Marcia Blyth, Marco Falchieri, Zoe Fowler, Elaine M. Fitzcharles, Ian H. Brown and Joe James ()
Additional contact information
Ashley C. Banyard: Addlestone
Ashley Bennison: Madingley Road
Alexander M. P. Byrne: Addlestone
Scott M. Reid: Addlestone
Joshua G. Lynton-Jenkins: Addlestone
Benjamin Mollett: Addlestone
Dilhani Silva: Addlestone
Jacob Peers-Dent: Addlestone
Kim Finlayson: St Mary’s Walk
Rosamund Hall: Madingley Road
Freya Blockley: Madingley Road
Marcia Blyth: Madingley Road
Marco Falchieri: Addlestone
Zoe Fowler: Bypass Road
Elaine M. Fitzcharles: Madingley Road
Ian H. Brown: Addlestone
Joe James: Addlestone

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Until recent events, the Antarctic was the only major geographical region in which high pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) had never previously been detected. Here we report on the detection of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 HPAIV in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions of South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, respectively. We initially detected H5N1 HPAIV in samples collected from brown skuas at Bird Island, South Georgia on 8th October 2023. Since this detection, mortalities were observed in several avian and mammalian species at multiple sites across South Georgia. Subsequent testing confirmed H5N1 HPAIV across several sampling locations in multiple avian species and two seal species. Simultaneously, we also confirmed H5N1 HPAIV in southern fulmar and black-browed albatross in the Falkland Islands. Genetic assessment of the virus indicates spread from South America, likely through movement of migratory birds. Critically, genetic assessment of sequences from mammalian species demonstrates no increased risk to human populations above that observed in other instances of mammalian infections globally. Here we describe the detection, species impact and genetic composition of the virus and propose both introductory routes and potential long-term impact on avian and mammalian species across the Antarctic region. We also speculate on the threat to specific populations following recent reports in the area.

Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51490-8 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-51490-8

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51490-8

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().