Abstract
Since the incursion of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b into North America in 2021, this viral threat has expanded its range throughout North America and into South America, and Antarctica. The virus has evolved to infect a much larger host range and while waterbirds are natural reservoirs of non-lethal forms of avian influenza virus, HPAI effects across species can vary from mortality to subclinical infection. In this presentation, we will share multiple studies that help us understand this virus in a wide range avian taxa. Results presented will focus on three primary components of our efforts to understand how wild birds have responded to the current HPAI threat: (1) surveillance for active infection and antibodies in leveraged samples across a suite of species, (2) paired sampling and telemetry efforts, and (3) challenge studies. This presentation will then discuss how we are combining these data to understand threats to both wild avian species as well as agricultural production facilities, presenting results from completed transmission risk models and discussing efforts to expand these models and explore risk to both wild and commercial systems.
Co-Author(s)
Diann Prosser - USGS, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Abstract Category
Transmission pathways, pathobiology, immune responses