Genomic characterization of highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza viruses from Alaska during 2022 provides evidence for genotype-specific trends of spatiotemporal and interspecies dissemination
Christina Ahlstrom, Mia Kim Torchetti, Julianna B. Lenoch, Kimberlee Beckmen, Megan Boldenow, Evan J Buck, Bryan Daniels, Krista Dilione, Robert Gerlach, Kristina Lantz, Angela Matz, Rebecca L. Poulson, Laura Celeste Scott, Gay Sheffield, David R. Sinnett, David E. Stallknecht, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Eric B. Taylor, Alison R. Williams, Andrew M. Ramey
2024, Emerging Microbes & Infections (13)
The ongoing panzootic of highly pathogenic H5 clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza (HPAI) spread to North America in late 2021, with detections of HPAI viruses in Alaska beginning in April 2022. HPAI viruses have since spread across the state, affecting many species of wild birds as well as domestic...
MTAB 109, September 2024
Kyra Harvey, Jennifer L. McKay
2024, Newsletter
This Memo to All Banders (MTAB 109) was released in September 2024. Subjects in this this memo are 1. The Chief’s Chirp; 2. Alerts – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and reminder that banders cannot submit data through Bandit, only manage data; 3. Staff updates – meeting reports; 4. News –...
Mitigating risk: Predicting H5N1 avian influenza spread with an empirical model of bird movement
Fiona McDuie, Cory T. Overton, Austen Lorenz, Elliott Matchett, Andrea Mott, Desmond Alexander Mackell, Josh T. Ackerman, Susan E.W. De La Cruz, Vijay P. Patil, Diann Prosser, John Y. Takekawa, Dennis L. Orthmeyer, Maurice E. Pitesky, Samuel L. Diaz-Munoz, Brock M. Riggs, Joseph Gendreau, Eric T. Reed, Mark J. Petrie, Chris K. Williams, Jeffrey J. Buler, Matthew J. Hardy, Brian S. Ladman, Pierre Legagneux, Joel Bety, Philippe J. Thomas, Jean Rodrigue, Josee Lefebvre, Michael L. Casazza
2024, Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
Understanding timing and distribution of virus spread is critical to global commercial and wildlife biosecurity management. A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIv) global panzootic, affecting ~600 bird and mammal species globally and over 83 million birds across North America (Dec 2023), poses a serious global threat to animals and...
Risk of invasive waterfowl interaction with poultry production: Understanding potential for avian pathogen transmission via species distribution models
Reilly T. Jackson, Percival M. Marshall, Chris Burkhart, Julia Schneck, Grant Kelly, Caleb Powell Roberts
2024, Biological Invasions (14)
Recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have devastated poultry production across the United States, with more than 77 million birds culled in 2022–2024 alone. Wild waterfowl, including various invasive species, host numerous pathogens, including highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV), and have been implicated...
Sero-epidemiology of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza viruses among wild birds in subarctic intercontinental transition zones
Jonathon D. Gass, Robert J. Dusek, Nichola J. Hill, Laura Borkenhagen, Jeffrey S. Hall, Gunnar Thor Hallgrimsson, Mary Anne Bishop, Andrew M. Ramey, Timothy J. Spivey, Solvi Runar Vignisson, Sunna Bjork Ragnarsdottir, Halldor Palmar Halldorsson, Jon Einar Jonsson, Alexa D. Simulynas, Felicia B. Nutter, Wendy B. Puryear, Jonathan A. Runstadler
2024, Preprint
Background: The geographic expansion and evolution of A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996(H5N1) (Gs/GD) lineage H5Nx highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses since 1996 have raised awareness of enzootic circulation among migratory birds and the potential for intercontinental transport and spread. Recent Pacific- and Atlantic-route introductions of HPAI to North America were facilitated by avian migration...
Using an adaptive modeling framework to identify avian influenza spillover risk at the wild-domestic interface
Diann Prosser, Cody M. Kent, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Kelly A. Patyk, Mary-Jane McCool, Mia K. Torchetti, Kristina Lantz, Jennifer M. Mullinax
2024, Scientific Reports (14)
The wild to domestic bird interface is an important nexus for emergence and transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses. Although the recent incursion of HPAI H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b into North America calls for emergency response and planning given the unprecedented scale, readily available data-driven models are lacking. Here,...
MTAB 108, May 2024
Kyra Harvey, Jennifer L. McKay
2024, Newsletter
This Memo to All Banders (MTAB 108) was released in May 2024. Subjects in this this memo are 1. The Chief’s Chirp; 2. Alerts – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and reminder that banders cannot submit data through Bandit, only manage data; 3. Staff updates – meeting reports, BBL staff visits...
Reframing wildlife disease management problems with decision analysis
Margaret McEachran, Johanna A. Harvey, Riley Olivia Mummah, Molly Bletz, Claire S. Teitelbaum, Elias Rosenblatt, F. Javiera Rudolph, Fernando Arce, Shanglai Yin, Diann Prosser, Brittany A. Mosher, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Graziella Vittoria DiRenzo, Jannelle Couret, Michael C. Runge, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Jonathan D. Cook
2024, Conservation Biology (38)
Contemporary wildlife disease management is complex because managers need to respond to a wide range of stakeholders, multiple uncertainties, and difficult trade-offs that characterize the interconnected challenges of today. Despite general acknowledgment of these complexities, managing wildlife disease tends to be framed as a...
Identifying an understudied interface: Preliminary evaluation of the use of retention ponds on commercial poultry farms by wild waterfowl
Jeffery D. Sullivan, Ayla McDonough, Lauren Lescure, Diann Prosser
2024, Transboundary and Emerging Diseases (2024)
While the recent incursion of highly pathogenic avian influenza into North America has resulted in notable losses to the commercial poultry industry, the mechanism by which virus enters commercial poultry houses is still not understood. One theorized mechanism is that waterfowl shed virus into the environment surrounding poultry farms, such...
Potential use of poultry farms by wild waterfowl in California's Central Valley varies across space, times of day, and species: implications for influenza transmission risk
Claire S. Teitelbaum, Michael L. Casazza, Cory T. Overton, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Elliott Matchett, Fiona McDuie, Austen Lorenz, Josh T. Ackerman, Susan E.W. De La Cruz, Diann Prosser
2024, Ecosphere (2024)
Interactions between wildlife and livestock can lead to cross-species disease transmission, which incurs economic costs and threatens wildlife conservation. Wild waterfowl are natural hosts of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), are often abundant near poultry farms, and have been linked to outbreaks of AIVs in...
MTAB 107, February 2024
Kyra Harvey
2024, Newsletter
This Memo to All Banders (MTAB 107) was released in February 2024. Subjects in this this memo are 1. The Chief’s Chirp; 2. Alerts – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and reminder that banders cannot submit data through Bandit, only manage data; 3. Staff updates – meeting reports; 4. News –...
Molecular detection and characterization of highly pathogenic H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza viruses among hunter-harvested wild birds provides evidence for three independent introductions into Alaska
Andrew M. Ramey, Laura Celeste Scott, Christina Ahlstrom, Evan James Buck, Alison Williams, Mia Kim Torchetti, David E. Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson
2024, Virology (589)
We detected and characterized highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses among hunter-harvested wild waterfowl inhabiting western Alaska during September–October 2022 using a molecular sequencing pipeline applied to RNA extracts derived directly from original swab samples. Genomic characterization of 10 H5 clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza...
Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus clade 2.3.4.4b infections in wild terrestrial mammals, United States, 2022
E. J. Elsmo, A. Wunschmann, Kimberlee B. Beckmen, L. B. Broughton-Neiswanger, E. L. Buckles, J. Hugh Ellis, S. D. Fitzgerald, Robert Gerlach, S. Hawkins, Hon S. Ip, Julia S. Lankton, E. M. Lemley, J. B. Lenoch, M. L. Killian, K. Lantz, L. Long, R. Maes, M. Mainenti, J. Melotti, M. E. Moriarty, S. Nakagun, R. M. Ruden, Valerie I. Shearn-Bochsler, D.A. Thompson, M. K. Torchetti, A. J. Van Wettere, A. G. Wise, A. L. Lim
2023, Emerging Infectious Diseases (29) 2451-2460
We describe the pathology of natural infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus of Eurasian lineage Goose/Guangdong clade 2.3.4.4b in 67 wild terrestrial mammals throughout the United States during April 1‒July 21, 2022. Affected mammals include 50 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 6 striped skunks (Mephitis...
MTAB 106, November 2023
Kyra Harvey, Jennifer L. McKay
2023, Newsletter
This Memo to All Banders (MTAB 106) was released in December 2023. Subjects in this memo are 1. The Chief’s Chirp 2. Alerts – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, including guidance from other countries, reminder that banders cannot submit data through Bandit, only manage data; 3. Staff updates – Meeting Reports;...
Climate change impacts on bird migration and highly pathogenic avian influenza
Diann Prosser, Claire S. Teitelbaum, Shenglai Yin, Nichola J. Hill, Xiangming Xiao
2023, Nature Microbiology (8) 2223-2225
The unprecedented extent of highly pathogenic avian influenza coincides with intensifying global climate changes that alter host ecology and physiology, and could impact virus evolution and dynamics....
Environmental surveillance and detection of infectious highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in Iowa wetlands
Laura E. Hubbard, Carrie E. Givens, Erin A. Stelzer, Mary L. Killian, Dana W. Kolpin, Christine M. Szablewski, Rebecca L. Poulson
2023, Environmental Science & Technology Letters (10) 1181-1187
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) infect both wild birds and domestic poultry, resulting in economically costly outbreaks that have the potential to impact public health. Currently, a knowledge gap exists regarding the detection of infectious AIVs in the aquatic environment. In response to the 2021–2022 Eurasian strain highly pathogenic avian influenza...
High pathogenicity avian influenza represents an unprecedented conservation challenge for globally declining seabird populations. Response to: Editorial, Protect wildlife from livestock diseases (Thijs Kuiken & Ruth Cromie)
Michelle Wille, Stephanie Avery-Gomm, Valentina Caliendo, Kees Camphuysen, E. Humphreys, Andrew Lang, Emma Philip, Andrew M. Ramey, Jolianne M. Rijks, Gregory Robertson, Laura Robertson
2023, Science (378) 5-5
No abstract available....
Avian influenza in wild birds
Andrew M. Ramey
David A. Jessup, Robin W. Radcliffe, editor(s)
2023, Book chapter, Wildlife disease and health in conservation
Influenza A viruses (IAVs)maintained among wild waterfowl, gulls, shorebirds, and some seabirds, and typically do not cause disease. Some avian-origin IAVs that have previously spilled over into domestic poultry have developed a highly pathogenic phenotype and have become important pathogens affecting both wild birds and poultry. These avian-origin...
Baiting and banding: Expert opinion on how bait trapping may influence the occurrence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) among dabbling ducks
Jennifer F. Provencher, Alana A. E. Wilcox, Samantha E. J. Gibbs, Lesley-Anne Howes, Mark L. Mallory, Margo J. Pybus, Andrew M. Ramey, Eric T. Reed, Chris Sharp, Catherine Soos, Iga Stasiak, Jim O. Leafloor
2023, Journal of Wildlife Diseases (59) 590-600
A Eurasian lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) of the clade 2.3.4.4b (Goose/Guangdong lineage) was detected in migratory bird populations in North America in December 2021, and it, along with its reassortants, have since caused wild and domestic bird outbreaks across the continent. Relative to previous outbreaks, HPAIV cases...
North American wintering mallards infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza show few signs of altered local or migratory movements
Claire S. Teitelbaum, Nicholas Masto, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Allison Keever, Rebecca L. Poulson, Deborah Carter, Abigail Blake-Bradshaw, Corey Highway, Jamie Feddersen, Heath M. Hagy, Richard W. Gerhold, Bradley S. Cohen, Diann Prosser
2023, Scientific Reports (13)
Avian influenza viruses pose a threat to wildlife and livestock health. The emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds and poultry in North America in late 2021 was the first such outbreak since 2015 and the largest outbreak in North America to date. Despite its prominence and...
Functional traits explain waterbirds’ host status, subtype richness, and community-level infection risk for avian influenza
Shenglai Yin, Ning Li, Wenjie Xu, Daniel Becker, Willem F. de Boer, Chi Xu, Taej Mundkur, Nicholas M Fountain-Jones, Chunlin Li, Guan-zhu Han, Qiang Wu, Diann Prosser, Lijuan Cui, Zheng Huang
2023, Ecology Letters (26) 1780-1791
Species functional traits can influence pathogen transmission processes, and consequently affect species' host status, pathogen diversity, and community-level infection risk. We here investigated, for 143 European waterbird species, effects of functional traits on host status and pathogen diversity (subtype richness) for avian influenza virus at species level. We then explored...
MTAB 105, August 2023
Kyra Harvey
2023, Newsletter
This Memo to All Banders (MTAB 105) was released in August 2023. Subjects in this memo are 1. The Chief’s Chirp – a reminder to review ethics guidelines; 2. Alerts – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, reminder that banders can only manage data not submit data through Bandit, reminder to be...
H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b in wild and domestic birds: Introductions into the United States and reassortments, December 2021–April 2022
Sungsu Youk, Mia Kim Torchetti, Kristina Lantz, Julianna B. Lenoch, Mary Lea Killian, Christina Leyson, Sarah N. Bevins, Krista Dilione, Hon S. Ip, David E. Stallknecht, Rebecca L. Poulson, David L. Suarez, David E. Swayne, Mary J. Pantin-Jackwood
2023, Virology (587)
Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage H5 clade 2.3.4.4b continue to have a devastating effect on domestic and wild birds. Full genome sequence analyses using 1369 H5N1 HPAIVs detected in the United States (U.S.) in wild...
MTAB 104, May 2023
Kyra Harvey
2023, Newsletter
This Memo to All Banders (MTAB 104) was released in May 2023. Subjects in this memo are 1. The Chief’s Chirp; 2. Alerts – Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and reminder that banders cannot submit data through Bandit, only manage data; 3. Staff updates – Jennifer McKay joins the BBL; 4....
The changing dynamics of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1: Next steps for management & science in North America
Johanna Harvey, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Michael C. Runge, Diann Prosser
2023, Biological Conservation (282)
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N1 was introduced in North America in late 2021 through trans-Atlantic pathways via migratory birds. These introductions have resulted in an unprecedented epizootic, a widespread disease event in animals, heavily affecting poultry, wild birds, and...
