Outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b virus in cats, Poland, June to July 2023

Abstrakt

Background Over a 3-week period in late June/early July 2023, Poland experienced an outbreak caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus in cats. Aim This study aimed to characterise the identified virus and investigate possible sources of infection. Methods We performed next generation sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of detected viruses in cats. Results We sampled 46 cats, and 25 tested positive for avian influenza virus. The identified viruses belong to clade 2.3.4.4b, genotype CH (H5N1 A/Eurasian wigeon/Netherlands/3/2022-like). In Poland, this genotype was responsible for several poultry outbreaks between December 2022 and January 2023 and has been identified only sporadically since February 2023. Viruses from cats were very similar to each other, indicating one common source of infection. In addition, the most closely related virus was detected in a dead white stork in early June. Influenza A(H5N1) viruses from cats possessed two amino acid substitutions in the PB2 protein (526R and 627K) which are two molecular markers of virus adaptation in mammals. The virus detected in the white stork presented one of those mutations (627K), which suggests that the virus that had spilled over to cats was already partially adapted to mammalian species. Conclusion The scale of HPAI H5N1 virus infection in cats in Poland is worrying. One of the possible sources seems to be poultry meat, but to date no such meat has been identified with certainty. Surveillance should be stepped up on poultry, but also on certain species of farmed mammals kept close to infected poultry farms.

Autorzy

Domańska-Blicharz Katarzyna
Domańska-Blicharz Katarzyna
Edyta Świętoń
Edyta Świętoń
Swiatalska Agnieszka
Swiatalska Agnieszka
Monne Isabella
Monne Isabella
Fusaro Alice
Fusaro Alice
Tarasiuk Karolina
Tarasiuk Karolina
Wyrostek Krzysztof
Wyrostek Krzysztof
Styś-Fijoł Natalia
Styś-Fijoł Natalia
Giza Aleksandra
Giza Aleksandra
Pietruk Marta
Pietruk Marta
Bianca Zecchin
Bianca Zecchin
Pastori Ambra
Pastori Ambra
Tomczyk Grzegorz
Tomczyk Grzegorz
Terregino Calogero
Terregino Calogero
artykuł
Eurosurveillance
Angielski
2023
28
2300366
2300366
otwarte czasopismo
CC BY 4.0 Uznanie autorstwa 4.0
ostateczna wersja opublikowana
w momencie opublikowania
2023-08-03
140
9,9
0
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