Avian influenza overview March–June 2024

Abstract Between 16 March and 14 June 2024, 42 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) virus detections were reported in domestic (15) and wild (27) birds across 13 countries in Europe. Although the overall number of detections in Europe has not been this low since the 2019–2020 epidemiologic...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: European Food Safety Authority, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, European Union Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza, Leonidas Alexakis, Alice Fusaro, Thijs Kuiken, Gražina Mirinavičiūtė, Karl Ståhl, Christoph Staubach, Olov Svartström, Calogero Terregino, Katriina Willgert, Roxane Delacourt, Sonagnon Martin Goudjihounde, Malin Grant, Stefania Tampach, Lisa Kohnle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-07-01
Series:EFSA Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8930
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849318744676892672
author European Food Safety Authority
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
European Union Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza
Leonidas Alexakis
Alice Fusaro
Thijs Kuiken
Gražina Mirinavičiūtė
Karl Ståhl
Christoph Staubach
Olov Svartström
Calogero Terregino
Katriina Willgert
Roxane Delacourt
Sonagnon Martin Goudjihounde
Malin Grant
Stefania Tampach
Lisa Kohnle
author_facet European Food Safety Authority
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
European Union Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza
Leonidas Alexakis
Alice Fusaro
Thijs Kuiken
Gražina Mirinavičiūtė
Karl Ståhl
Christoph Staubach
Olov Svartström
Calogero Terregino
Katriina Willgert
Roxane Delacourt
Sonagnon Martin Goudjihounde
Malin Grant
Stefania Tampach
Lisa Kohnle
author_sort European Food Safety Authority
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Between 16 March and 14 June 2024, 42 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) virus detections were reported in domestic (15) and wild (27) birds across 13 countries in Europe. Although the overall number of detections in Europe has not been this low since the 2019–2020 epidemiological year, HPAI viruses continue to circulate at a very low level. Most detections in poultry were due to indirect contact with wild birds, but there was also secondary spread. Outside Europe, the HPAI situation intensified particularly in the USA, where a new A(H5N1) virus genotype (B3.13) has been identified in >130 dairy herds in 12 states. Infection in cattle appears to be centred on the udder, with milk from infected animals showing high viral loads and representing a new vehicle of transmission. Apart from cattle, HPAI viruses were identified in two other mammal species (alpaca and walrus) for the first time. Between 13 March and 20 June 2024, 14 new human cases with avian influenza virus infection were reported from Vietnam (one A(H5N1), one A(H9N2)), Australia (with travel history to India, one A(H5N1)), USA (three A(H5N1)), China (two A(H5N6), three A(H9N2), one A(H10N3)), India (one A(H9N2)), and Mexico (one fatal A(H5N2) case). The latter case was the first laboratory‐confirmed human infection with avian influenza virus subtype A(H5N2). Most of the human cases had reported exposure to poultry, live poultry markets, or dairy cattle prior to avian influenza virus detection or onset of illness. Human infections with avian influenza viruses remain rare and no human‐to‐human transmission has been observed. The risk of infection with currently circulating avian A(H5) influenza viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b in Europe remains low for the general public in the EU/EEA. The risk of infection remains low‐to‐moderate for those occupationally or otherwise exposed to infected animals or contaminated environments.
format Article
id doaj-art-eba5ea9cbe88422da4821197537e4fd7
institution Kabale University
issn 1831-4732
language English
publishDate 2024-07-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series EFSA Journal
spelling doaj-art-eba5ea9cbe88422da4821197537e4fd72025-08-20T03:50:44ZengWileyEFSA Journal1831-47322024-07-01227n/an/a10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8930Avian influenza overview March–June 2024European Food Safety AuthorityEuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and ControlEuropean Union Reference Laboratory for Avian InfluenzaLeonidas AlexakisAlice FusaroThijs KuikenGražina MirinavičiūtėKarl StåhlChristoph StaubachOlov SvartströmCalogero TerreginoKatriina WillgertRoxane DelacourtSonagnon Martin GoudjihoundeMalin GrantStefania TampachLisa KohnleAbstract Between 16 March and 14 June 2024, 42 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5) virus detections were reported in domestic (15) and wild (27) birds across 13 countries in Europe. Although the overall number of detections in Europe has not been this low since the 2019–2020 epidemiological year, HPAI viruses continue to circulate at a very low level. Most detections in poultry were due to indirect contact with wild birds, but there was also secondary spread. Outside Europe, the HPAI situation intensified particularly in the USA, where a new A(H5N1) virus genotype (B3.13) has been identified in >130 dairy herds in 12 states. Infection in cattle appears to be centred on the udder, with milk from infected animals showing high viral loads and representing a new vehicle of transmission. Apart from cattle, HPAI viruses were identified in two other mammal species (alpaca and walrus) for the first time. Between 13 March and 20 June 2024, 14 new human cases with avian influenza virus infection were reported from Vietnam (one A(H5N1), one A(H9N2)), Australia (with travel history to India, one A(H5N1)), USA (three A(H5N1)), China (two A(H5N6), three A(H9N2), one A(H10N3)), India (one A(H9N2)), and Mexico (one fatal A(H5N2) case). The latter case was the first laboratory‐confirmed human infection with avian influenza virus subtype A(H5N2). Most of the human cases had reported exposure to poultry, live poultry markets, or dairy cattle prior to avian influenza virus detection or onset of illness. Human infections with avian influenza viruses remain rare and no human‐to‐human transmission has been observed. The risk of infection with currently circulating avian A(H5) influenza viruses of clade 2.3.4.4b in Europe remains low for the general public in the EU/EEA. The risk of infection remains low‐to‐moderate for those occupationally or otherwise exposed to infected animals or contaminated environments.https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8930avian influenzacaptive birdsHPAIhumansmonitoringpoultry
spellingShingle European Food Safety Authority
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
European Union Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza
Leonidas Alexakis
Alice Fusaro
Thijs Kuiken
Gražina Mirinavičiūtė
Karl Ståhl
Christoph Staubach
Olov Svartström
Calogero Terregino
Katriina Willgert
Roxane Delacourt
Sonagnon Martin Goudjihounde
Malin Grant
Stefania Tampach
Lisa Kohnle
Avian influenza overview March–June 2024
EFSA Journal
avian influenza
captive birds
HPAI
humans
monitoring
poultry
title Avian influenza overview March–June 2024
title_full Avian influenza overview March–June 2024
title_fullStr Avian influenza overview March–June 2024
title_full_unstemmed Avian influenza overview March–June 2024
title_short Avian influenza overview March–June 2024
title_sort avian influenza overview march june 2024
topic avian influenza
captive birds
HPAI
humans
monitoring
poultry
url https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8930
work_keys_str_mv AT europeanfoodsafetyauthority avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT europeancentrefordiseasepreventionandcontrol avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT europeanunionreferencelaboratoryforavianinfluenza avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT leonidasalexakis avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT alicefusaro avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT thijskuiken avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT grazinamirinaviciute avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT karlstahl avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT christophstaubach avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT olovsvartstrom avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT calogeroterregino avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT katriinawillgert avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT roxanedelacourt avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT sonagnonmartingoudjihounde avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT malingrant avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT stefaniatampach avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024
AT lisakohnle avianinfluenzaoverviewmarchjune2024