Emerging Microbes and Infections (Feb 2022)
Infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza A virus (HPAIV) H5N8 in harbor seals at the German North Sea coast, 2021
- Alexander Postel,
- Jacqueline King,
- Franziska K. Kaiser,
- Johanna Kennedy,
- Mara Sophie Lombardo,
- Wencke Reineking,
- Madeleine de le Roi,
- Timm Harder,
- Anne Pohlmann,
- Thomas Gerlach,
- Guus Rimmelzwaan,
- Simon Rohner,
- Lotte Caecilia Striewe,
- Stephanie Gross,
- Luca A. Schick,
- Jana C. Klink,
- Katharina Kramer,
- Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus,
- Martin Beer,
- Wolfgang Baumgärtner,
- Ursula Siebert,
- Paul Becher
Affiliations
- Alexander Postel
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Jacqueline King
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute
- Franziska K. Kaiser
- University of Veterinary Medicine
- Johanna Kennedy
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Mara Sophie Lombardo
- Institute of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Wencke Reineking
- Institute of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Madeleine de le Roi
- Institute of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Timm Harder
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute
- Anne Pohlmann
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute
- Thomas Gerlach
- University of Veterinary Medicine
- Guus Rimmelzwaan
- University of Veterinary Medicine
- Simon Rohner
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Lotte Caecilia Striewe
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Stephanie Gross
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Luca A. Schick
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Jana C. Klink
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Katharina Kramer
- Landeslabor Schleswig- Holstein, Neumünster, Germany
- Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus
- University of Veterinary Medicine
- Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute
- Wolfgang Baumgärtner
- Institute of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine
- Paul Becher
- Institute of Virology, University of Veterinary Medicine
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2022.2043726
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 0,
no. 0
pp. 1 – 32
Abstract
In brain tissue of three harbor seals of the German North Sea Coast, high virus loads of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5N8 were detected. Identification of different virus variants indicates high exposure to HPAIV circulating in wild birds, but there is no evidence for H5 specific antibodies in healthy seals. Replication of avian viruses in seals may allow HPAIV to acquire mutations needed to adapt to mammalian hosts as shown by PB2 627 K variants detected in these cases.
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