Avian influenza spillover into mammals
Priya Venkatesan
Abstract
Since late 2020, a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b has been circulating globally, leading to more than 50 million dead wild birds and culled poultry. Concerningly, the virus has also started to be detected in mammals. Cases of H5N1 infection have been previously noted in species such as minks in Spain and dolphins in South America. More recently (June 2022), an outbreak of A(H5N1) virus infections was reported among harbour and grey seals in New England, USA, that was concurrent with a large number of avian infections in the region.
Topics & Concepts
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1OutbreakCladeHighly pathogenicVirologyBiologyVirusAvian influenza virusInfluenza A virusZoologyVeterinary medicinePhylogeneticsMedicineGeneBiochemistryInfluenza Virus Research StudiesRespiratory viral infections researchViral Infections and Vectors