Viruses (Nov 2022)
Emergence of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza Virus H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b in Wild Birds and Poultry in Botswana
- Samantha L. Letsholo,
- Joe James,
- Stephanie M. Meyer,
- Alexander M. P. Byrne,
- Scott M. Reid,
- Tirumala B. K. Settypalli,
- Sneha Datta,
- Letlhogile Oarabile,
- Obakeng Kemolatlhe,
- Kgakgamatso T. Pebe,
- Bruce R. Mafonko,
- Tebogo J. Kgotlele,
- Kago Kumile,
- Boitumelo Modise,
- Carter Thanda,
- John F. C. Nyange,
- Chandapiwa Marobela-Raborokgwe,
- Giovanni Cattoli,
- Charles E. Lamien,
- Ian H. Brown,
- William G. Dundon,
- Ashley C. Banyard
Affiliations
- Samantha L. Letsholo
- Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (BNVL), Private Bag 0035, Gaborone, Botswana
- Joe James
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)—Woodham Ln, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK
- Stephanie M. Meyer
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)—Woodham Ln, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK
- Alexander M. P. Byrne
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)—Woodham Ln, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK
- Scott M. Reid
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)—Woodham Ln, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK
- Tirumala B. K. Settypalli
- Animal Production and Health Laboratory (APHL), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, IAEA Laboratories, Friedenstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Sneha Datta
- Animal Production and Health Laboratory (APHL), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, IAEA Laboratories, Friedenstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Letlhogile Oarabile
- Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Ministry of Agriculture, Private Bag 0032, Gaborone, Botswana
- Obakeng Kemolatlhe
- Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Ministry of Agriculture, Private Bag 0032, Gaborone, Botswana
- Kgakgamatso T. Pebe
- Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Ministry of Agriculture, Private Bag 0032, Gaborone, Botswana
- Bruce R. Mafonko
- Department of Veterinary Services (DVS), Ministry of Agriculture, Private Bag 0032, Gaborone, Botswana
- Tebogo J. Kgotlele
- Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (BNVL), Private Bag 0035, Gaborone, Botswana
- Kago Kumile
- Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (BNVL), Private Bag 0035, Gaborone, Botswana
- Boitumelo Modise
- Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (BNVL), Private Bag 0035, Gaborone, Botswana
- Carter Thanda
- Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (BNVL), Private Bag 0035, Gaborone, Botswana
- John F. C. Nyange
- Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (BNVL), Private Bag 0035, Gaborone, Botswana
- Chandapiwa Marobela-Raborokgwe
- Botswana National Veterinary Laboratory (BNVL), Private Bag 0035, Gaborone, Botswana
- Giovanni Cattoli
- Animal Production and Health Laboratory (APHL), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, IAEA Laboratories, Friedenstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Charles E. Lamien
- Animal Production and Health Laboratory (APHL), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, IAEA Laboratories, Friedenstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Ian H. Brown
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)—Woodham Ln, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK
- William G. Dundon
- Animal Production and Health Laboratory (APHL), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratory, IAEA Laboratories, Friedenstrasse 1, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
- Ashley C. Banyard
- Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)—Woodham Ln, Addlestone KT15 3NB, UK
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/v14122601
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 14,
no. 12
p. 2601
Abstract
Numerous outbreaks of high-pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) were reported during 2020–2021. In Africa, H5Nx has been detected in Benin, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Senegal, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa in both wild birds and poultry. Botswana reported its first outbreak of HPAI to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) in 2021. An H5N1 virus was detected in a fish eagle, doves, and chickens. Full genome sequence analysis revealed that the virus belonged to clade 2.3.4.4b and showed high identity within haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase proteins (NA) for viruses identified across a geographically broad range of locations. The detection of H5N1 in Botswana has important implications for disease management, wild bird conservation, tourism, public health, economic empowerment of vulnerable communities and food security in the region.
Keywords