Multiple transatlantic incursions of highly pathogenic avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b A(H5N5) virus into North America and spillover to mammals
Cassidy N.G. Erdelyan,
Ahmed Kandeil,
Anthony V. Signore,
Megan E.B. Jones,
Peter Vogel,
Konstantin Andreev,
Cathrine Arnason Bøe,
Britt Gjerset,
Tamiru N. Alkie,
Carmencita Yason,
Tamiko Hisanaga,
Daniel Sullivan,
Oliver Lung,
Laura Bourque,
Ifeoluwa Ayilara,
Lemarie Pama,
Trushar Jeevan,
John Franks,
Jeremy C. Jones,
Jon P. Seiler,
Lance Miller,
Samira Mubareka,
Richard J. Webby,
Yohannes Berhane
Affiliations
Cassidy N.G. Erdelyan
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Ahmed Kandeil
Department of Pathology and Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza, 12622, Egypt
Anthony V. Signore
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Megan E.B. Jones
Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Region, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3, Canada
Peter Vogel
Comparative Pathology Core, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
Konstantin Andreev
Department of Pathology and Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
Cathrine Arnason Bøe
Norwegian Veterinary Institute, 1433 Ås, Norway
Britt Gjerset
Norwegian Veterinary Institute, 1433 Ås, Norway
Tamiru N. Alkie
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Carmencita Yason
Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3, Canada
Tamiko Hisanaga
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Daniel Sullivan
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Oliver Lung
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2M5, Canada
Laura Bourque
Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Region, Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4P3, Canada
Ifeoluwa Ayilara
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Lemarie Pama
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada
Trushar Jeevan
Department of Pathology and Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
John Franks
Department of Pathology and Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
Jeremy C. Jones
Department of Pathology and Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
Jon P. Seiler
Department of Pathology and Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
Lance Miller
Department of Pathology and Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
Samira Mubareka
Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada; Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A1, Canada
Richard J. Webby
Department of Pathology and Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; Corresponding author
Yohannes Berhane
National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3M4, Canada; Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Department of Veterinary Pathology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada; Corresponding author
Summary: Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses have spread at an unprecedented scale, leading to mass mortalities in birds and mammals. In 2023, a transatlantic incursion of HPAI A(H5N5) viruses into North America was detected, followed shortly thereafter by a mammalian detection. As these A(H5N5) viruses were similar to contemporary viruses described in Eurasia, the transatlantic spread of A(H5N5) viruses was most likely facilitated by pelagic seabirds. Some of the Canadian A(H5N5) viruses from birds and mammals possessed the PB2-E627K substitution known to facilitate adaptation to mammals. Ferrets inoculated with A(H5N5) viruses showed rapid, severe disease onset, with some evidence of direct contact transmission. However, these viruses have maintained receptor binding traits of avian influenza viruses and were susceptible to oseltamivir and zanamivir. Understanding the factors influencing the virulence and transmission of A(H5N5) in migratory birds and mammals is critical to minimize impacts on wildlife and public health.
