High number of HPAI H5 virus infections and antibodies in wild carnivores in the Netherlands, 2020–2022

In October 2020, a new lineage of a clade 2.3.4.4b HPAI virus of the H5 subtype emerged in Europe, resulting in the largest global outbreak of HPAI to date, with unprecedented mortality in wild birds and poultry. The virus appears to have become enzootic in birds, continuously yielding novel HPAI virus variants. The recently increased abundance of infected birds worldwide increases the probability of bird–mammal contact, particularly in wild carnivores. Here, we performed molecular and serological screening of over 500 dead wild carnivores and sequencing of RNA positive materials. We show viro... Mehr ...