Opposite Outcomes of the Within-Host Competition between High- and Low-Pathogenic H5N8 Avian Influenza Viruses in Chickens Compared to Ducks
Pierre Bessière, Thomas Figueroa, Amelia Coggon, Charlotte Foret‐Lucas, Alexandre Houffschmitt, Maxime Fusade-Boyer, Gabriel Dupré, Jean‐Luc Guérin, Maxence Delverdier, Romain Volmer
Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses represent a threat to poultry production systems and to human health because of their impact on food security and because of their zoonotic potential. It is therefore crucial to better understand how these viruses emerge. Using a within-host competition model between high- and low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses, we provide evidence that highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses could be more likely to emerge in chickens than in ducks. These results have important implications for highly pathogenic avian influenza virus emergence prevention, and they underscore the importance of within-host viral variant interactions in virus evolution.