H5N1 Avian Influenza

Now, hundreds more sea birds thought to have been infected with avian flu have been found washed up on British beaches as the virus continues to sweep through Europe.

Our chief correspondent Alex Thomson has been to Coquet Island, off Northumberland and a warning, his report contains images of dead and dying birds.

(Video is on linked page)

£1.5 million government funding will support research into avian influenza outbreaks

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus continues to circulate extensively among seabirds in Europe causing high mortality, while the overall situation in poultry has eased. Epidemiological investigations of an outbreak in cats in Poland are ongoing. The risk to the general public remains low, according to the latest report on avian influenza by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the EU reference laboratory (EURL).

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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is working with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the public health agencies of the 4 nations to monitor the risk to human health of avian influenza (influenza A H5N1) in England. This briefing is produced to share data useful to other public health investigators and academic partners undertaking related work. It includes early evidence and preliminary analyses which may be subject to change.

BirdWatch Ireland staff have been dealing with alarming and unprecedented outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza, or bird ‘flu, at some of Ireland’s most important seabird colonies. Over the past few weeks, the carcasses of hundreds of dead seabirds, both adults and chicks, have been recovered for disposal, in an effort to try to prevent further spread of this highly contagious viral disease. There are fears for the long-term devastating consequences this outbreak may have on Ireland’s seabird populations, which are of international importance.

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Two more poultry workers in England have tested positive for avian influenza, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed.

The two cases of bird flu have been detected at different premises in England through UKHSA’s surveillance programme of asymptomatic workers who have come into contact with birds.

See also: Avian influenza prevention zone lifted, but risk remains

This means four workers have tested positive for avian flu since the programme was launched in March.

In May, there were two positive cases in England and those workers have since tested negative.

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The Finnish Food Authority (FFA) today reported an H5N1 avian flu outbreak in blue foxes at a fur farm in Kausti, located in the west central part of the country. The agency said the virus is the same one that caused recent mass deaths in wild birds.

Also, officials said influenza has been detected at four other fur farms and subtyping tests are still under way. They added that the viruses were found in samples sent by breeders to determine the cause of illness. The source of the virus is still under investigation, but the foxes likely contracted the virus from wild birds.

The farm is the first fur facility in the country to be hit with an H5N1 outbreak. Finland had previously reported H5N1 in two wild foxes.

The FFA said avian flu has been found in large numbers of wild birds this summer and that it is examining samples from several mass deaths of seagulls from different parts of Finland.

In a notification to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), Finnish officials said the farm also housed 1,500 raccoon dogs as well as 3,500 foxes. Three fatal infections were reported in the foxes. Officials said several black-headed gulls were seen near the farm. So far, no control measures are in place, because highly pathogenic avian flu isn't a listed disease for fur farms. However, veterinary officials are working closely with public health partners and are encouraging fur farms to step-up their biosecurity and use of personal protective equipment.

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July 12 (Reuters) - Three UN agencies on Wednesday warned that an ongoing rise in avian flu outbreaks globally raised concerns that the virus might adapt to infect humans more easily, and urged countries to strengthen disease surveillance and improve hygiene at poultry farms.

Earlier this year, a new H5N1 strain of bird flu that is highly contagious among wild birds explosively spread to new geographical regions, infecting and killing a variety of mammal species and raising fears of a pandemic among humans.

The European Food Safety Authority called on Thursday for cat and dog owners to keep their pets inside in response to record cases of avian influenza across the world after 24 cats tested positive in Poland.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring the evolution of the H5N1 virus in various species including mammals after it was linked to the death of nine domestic cats across Poland

Translated from Italian:

The Ministry of Health informs that the seroconversion of five dogs and one cat present in a rural poultry farm in the province of Brescia, the site of an outbreak of HPAI H5N1 has recently been ascertained.

Genetic analyses of the virus found in the birds that died in the outbreak carried out by the National and European Reference Centre (CRN) for avian influenza and Newcastle disease of the IBIS of the Venice have shown that it is an HPAI H5N1 belonging to clade 2.3.4.4b, and in particular to the genotype H5N1-A/Herring_gull/

This virus also has a mutation considered to be an adaptation marker of mammalian viruses (T271A in protein PB2) with a possible increase in its zoonotic potential.

On 14 June 2023, the 'expert group' was brought together to define the functioning of the national network of public human and veterinary laboratories for the early detection of the circulation of influenza virus strains with zoonotic potential in order to activate an early warning system for influenza epidemics, including pandemic, which did not change the risk assessment produced on 27 February 2023 and disseminated with the Circular of 7 March,

The application of biosecurity measures in poultry farms should be intensified with the utmost urgency and effectiveness also in consideration of new cases of HPAI H5N1 in red-roated seagulls (Chroicocephalus genei) and common seagulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) in the province of Ravenna.

Excerpt:

The original CDC Assessment (see Influenza Risk Assessment Tool (IRAT) Virus Report H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b pdf icon[462 KB, 6 pages]) placed the H5N1 threat squarely in the middle of the pack, with a threat score of 5.1 and an emergence score of 4.4. Today the CDC has announced a new assessment of the mink-variant H5N1 virus in Spain. While still classified as a `moderate' threat, it's scores have risen in 6 of the 10 parameters used to evaluate their zoonotic potential (see chart below).

Translated to English:

A new positive case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (IAAP) by H5 subtype of Eurasian lineage was detected in recent days. It is a common sea lion found in the Punta Gusano sector, near Puerto Williams, which is the first case of this species to be detected in the Magallanes Region.

With this finding, there are 46 specimens of marine animals under the tutelage of the General Law of Fisheries and Aquaculture (LGPA) detected as positive cases for avian influenza: 35 common sea lions, 4 Humboldt penguins, 2 chungungos, 2 thorny porpoises, 2 Chilean dolphins and one howl.

"When reviewing the report of dead animals associated with avian influenza, during the first half of 2023, we recorded that, from February 7 to June 30, 15,185 specimens of marine fauna have been identified dead. The breakdown is as follows: 13,025 common sea lions, 2,093 Humboldt penguins, 30 chungungos, 21 thorny porpoises, 15 Chilean dolphins and a huillín," explained the National Director of SERNAPESCA, Soledad Tapia.

Likewise, the authority valued the work carried out together with other public entities such as SENAPRED, SAG, the Regional Governments, the Presidential Delegations and the municipalities, among others and communal, since "the important thing is to see that we must work together, work in coordination to be able to attend this type of event, which as I repeat, had never occurred in Chile."

"I want to highlight the tremendous work of our officials throughout the country, especially in the North macrozone. Mainly the regions of Arica and Parinacota and Antofagasta are the hardest hit, which maintain high numbers of animals that appear with symptoms of avian influenza, as well as in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo," Tapia added.

WHY ARE SEA LIONS THE MOST AFFECTED SPECIES?

Among the more than 13,000 common sea lions killed associated with avian influenza during the first half, the largest number occurred during the month of May, with 3,929 specimens stranded. The area where there were the most strandings of common dead sea lions, was in the north between the regions of Arica and Atacama, the most affected being the Region of Antofagasta, with 4,626 specimens killed, most of them found in the month of June.

Mauricio Ulloa, Sernapesca's avian influenza manager, explained in this regard that "a very special situation occurs, which is the passage of a virus that normally affected birds to a marine mammal. That step has caused the marine mammal to be very defenseless against this new virus and that is why this massive and unusual mortality has occurred that we have observed."

To this is added, in the case of the northern area, that marine animals and birds - carriers of the virus - share the same food sources, which are schools of fish such as anchovies and sardines, so "they have been very infected by sharing the food habitats and spaces where they develop."

It should be remembered that, before a discovery of a dead specimen on the coast, it is extremely important that people avoid contact with that animal and immediately report to the telephone number 800 320 032 of Sernapesca, to begin coordination with municipalities or other state services, to see the final disposition of the animals.

Excerpt:

COVID-19 isn’t the only virus that has significantly impacted the planet in the past few years. Avian flu (H5N1), which has devastated the poultry industry and caused a 70% increase in egg prices in the past year, has impacted more than just domesticated species.

What’s happening?

New research indicates that the flu, which has killed off hundreds of thousands of wild birds, is one of the most devastating disease outbreaks in history. Vox reported that the disease has spread across five continents and hundreds of species, including endangered ones like the California condor, which classifies it as a “panzootic” — a pandemic among animals.

Translated with Google:

EH, ME 07/05/2023, 10:49 |update: 11:17

In the studies, we have not shown that cats have been infected with the bird flu virus in recent weeks through infected meat from Polish poultry, virologist Prof. Laboratory of Virology at the Małopolska Center of Biotechnology of the Jagiellonian University Krzysztof Pyrć.

– A press material has been published which suggests that the results of research conducted by our scientific teams have shown that cats have been infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus in recent weeks through contaminated meat from Polish poultry. I wanted to say that this is not true, we have not proven it - said prof. Pyrć from the reproduced recording during Wednesday's press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture.

He added that only one of the five food samples that have been tested has been shown to contain both nucleic acid and infectious H5N1 virus.

However, this does not mean that the poultry was the source of the infection. However, it actually indicates that this path should be very well examined by the relevant services, so as to ensure not only safety for animals and people in Poland, but also safety for the poultry industry, so as to avoid both image and economic losses in the future he stressed.

Excerpt:

It's been nearly two weeks since the first reports of sick and dying cats in Poland began to emerge - and while initially it was assumed that cats were coming in contact with the virus from predation of birds, or from environmental exposures - we've seen reports of indoor cats from several cities testing positive as well.

Yesterday's announcement (see Poland's National Veterinary Institute Genome Sequence Analysis Of H5N1 Viruses Detected In Cats), stated early testing has suggested that the feline H5N1 avian influenza viruses analyzed so far originate from a single, unidentified source.

While there may be more than one route of infection, with dozens of indoor and outdoor cats affected, H5N1 contamination from raw poultry has to be considered. For the past 20 years we've seen multiple outbreaks in zoos around the world which have fed large cats (tigers, lions, etc.) contaminated raw poultry.

Poultry meat can be a source of the bird flu virus, from which many cats in Poland have been suffering and die recently.

• Our results talk about the presence of the virus in one of the five meat samples provided that sick cats received. At the moment, we are not able to tell where it came from in meat and whether it was the source of infection of cats, or if it got there from sick animals. However, given the risks associated with the transmission of the virus not only to animals, but also to humans, it is certainly a trail that requires a thorough check. This is already a task for veterinary services and sanitary supervision - said virologist prof. Krzysztof Pyrć, whose team was involved in the study of meat.

As the expert explained, "H5N1 virus is poorly transmitted between mammals, so the risk of contracting directly from cats is practically impossible". "For infection to occur, a person would have to eat raw or undercooked meat. But it can also switch to a man who touches meat with a bare hand. - The disease in humans can have an extremely severe course, and in the last 20 years, out of more than 800 infected people, more than half have died" - explained the scientist in an interview with the "Voter".

The results of research by scientists from Krakow have been confirmed by a certified laboratory in Gdańsk. Sanepid and Veterinary Inspection were notified of the results. It is these institutions that can take care of determining how infected meat went to stores.

"The sample, which showed the presence of the H5N1 virus, belongs to Magda (data for the editor's attention). She lives in Chełmek (Małopolskie), and bought chicken breast meat, which she gave to the cat, on June 9 in one of the stores of a large chain. She has retained receipts - she bought two packages. A virus was detected in samples from each of them. Lynx - Magda's kitten - was one of the first cats to die. On June 15, she got a raw breast for dinner. On June 17, the first symptoms occurred: the kitten was sleepy and had no appetite. The next day, the owner went to the vet, who suspected a cold" - we read.

The cat already the day after visiting the vet "begun to lose balance, fell off the chair, paralysis of her hind legs, stopped walking completely, eating". Doctors admitted that they do not know what is happening to the animal. "Then epileptic attacks began one by one. Antibiotic, steroid did not help. Finally there was nystagmus, loss of consciousness. At the end of her life, she was no longer able to swallow water. Lynx died from 22 to 23 June" - says the owner of the kitten in an interview with "GW".

The daily reminds that Poland is a leader in poultry production in the EU. Meat from Poland accounts for nearly 20 percent of the EU market, and "the value of meat export is over 3 billion euros". - We can pretend that nothing happens, but imagine the consequences of detecting a virus in such meat if some research institute outside Poland would do it. Not only for health, but also for an important sector of the economy it would be devastating - said prof. Pyrć in an interview with "Gazeta Wyborcza".

Excerpt:

The first signs of the bird flu outbreak appeared when a mysterious illness began spreading among cats in June.

On June 18, a vet in western Poland reported the death of a cat that had suffered from neurological and respiratory symptoms, BNO News, a Dutch news agency, reported. Since then, dozens of cases of this unusual illness—many resulting in death—were reported across the country.

Local media reports indicated that the disease had a sudden onset and progressed very rapidly.

"The animals die in a short time," Paulina Grzelakowska, director of the Tri-City Veterinary Clinic in Gdańsk, in northern Poland, told broadcaster TVN24. "Cats of all ages are affected, both pedigree and nonpedigree, those kept indoors and outdoors, those vaccinated against infectious diseases and those that have not been vaccinated."

Early testing in the past few days subsequently identified the H5N1 virus in samples taken from some of the dead cats.

Statement. Ladies and Gentlemen, tomorrow's Gazeta Wyborcza @gazeta_wyborcza is to publish a text which is partly based on our work. Since the text contains an over-interpretation of the results of our research, which distorts the sense of the results and can lead to panic and losses, both economic and image, today we decided to make our position public and present the actual interpretation of the data. Yours faithfully, Krzysztof Pyrć, Maciej Grzybek, Lukasz Rąbalski @GrzybekMaciej @rabalski

Possible transmission paths of the H5N1 virus. With regard to the transmission of influenza A H5N1 virus from birds to domestic cats, an assessment of the situation has shown that food is one of the likely routes of transmission of the pathogen. This is indicated by : ( a) the sudden appearance of the virus in indoor and outdoor cats in different parts of the country; (b) no outbreaks of infection with cat-to-cat transmission; (c) analysis of the genome sequence of the virus taken from the cat showed no drastic changes compared to the reference sequences, suggesting the emergence of a new strain of influenza virus effectively infecting cats; (d) the sequence similarity of viruses that have been isolated from cats in different parts of Poland is very high, which suggests a single source of infection; (e) discussions with cat owners have suggested raw meat may be the source. To test this theory initially, we asked the owners of sick cats to submit samples of the meat they ate. As a result, we received five meat samples for testing and conducted molecular tests for the presence of the virus. The analysis showed that one of the 5 samples contained the virus. Further analysis showed that the meat contains not only the genetic material of the virus, but also the infectious virus – we were able to isolate the virus in cell cultures. Although it cannot be ruled out that the virus found its way into the meat samples later, or even the meat was contaminated by the owners with the virus developing in the cat's body, it is also possible that the raw meat was the source of infection. It would not be surprising, because already in 2007, a case of contamination of frozen duck meat with the H5N1 virus was reported [1], which caused outbreaks of the disease in Germany. In view of the above, it seems reasonable to appeal to the veterinary services and sanitary inspection to examine the meat available in Poland and consider including meat testing for H5N1 influenza. This is crucial not only because of cats, but also because this virus is a threat to human life. In addition, the Polish poultry industry accounts for almost 20% of the EU market, and the estimated value of meat exports is over EUR 3 billion. It is worth imagining the consequences for this sector of the economy, if it actually turned out that contaminated meat ended up in France, Italy or Germany.

The research is conducted by three teams led by prof. dr hab. Krzysztof Pyrć, dr hab. Maciej Grzybek and Dr. Łukasz Rąbalski.

[1] Harder TC, Teuffert J, Starick E, et al. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) in Frozen Duck Carcasses, Germany, 2007. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2009;15 (2):272-279. doi:10.3201/eid1502.080949.

An initial analysis today from Poland's National Veterinary Institute of nine viruses from cats infected with H5N1 avian influenza suggests they are related to viruses found in the country's poultry and wild birds, according to a statement translated and posted by Avian Flu Diary, an infectious disease news blog. The sicknesses and deaths in cats have been reported from a wide geographic area, with some noted in indoor cats, making the source of the virus unclear.

The report said the viruses belong to the same genotype and are most closely related to a sample collected in June from a white stork. The genotype was seen during the peak of the 2022-23 season and was detected mainly in poultry in Wielkopolska province and in wild birds in multiple parts of Poland.

The report didn't note any mutations that may make the virus more adapted to mammals. Scientists noted that the feline H5N1 viruses they have examined so far came from a single unidentified source and that more detailed genetic analysis is under way to better gauge the zoonotic potential.

CDC updates H5N1 technical report In other avian flu developments, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its technical information on H5N1, which covers the latest sporadic infections in humans and outbreaks in wild birds, poultry, and other animals. (The document, dated June 30, doesn't include information on the H5N1 detections in Polish cats.)

The CDC said the H5N1 viruses currently circulating in wild birds and poultry don't have the ability to easily bind to human upper-airway tract receptors. Though outbreaks in US poultry flocks have declined substantially over spring and summer, the H5N1 strain continues to circulate in wild birds, posing an ongoing transmission threat that requires close monitoring.

Regarding H5N1 in mammals, the CDC said data suggest the virus may evolve to replicate more efficiently in the respiratory tract, but so far the changes haven't been linked to increased transmissibility in humans.