Genetic reassortment, the exchange of gene segments between distinct influenza A virus genomes, is a key mechanism driving the emergence of novel variants. In avian influenza viruses, reassortment are extremely frequent and accompanies phenotypic changes. Since 2020, clade 2.3.4.4b H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) have driven a global panzootic, causing mass mortality in...
Since 2020, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 outbreaks in Great Britain have resulted in substantial poultry mortality and economic losses. There are additional concerns of increased HPAI circulation leading to a viral reassortment that causes zoonotic spillover. However, the mechanisms driving transmission between poultry premises and the impact of potential control measures in...
H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are endemic in Bangladesh and are consistently detected at high prevalence within live bird markets (LBMs). Despite its low pathogenic status, H9N2 AIV can hamper poultry meat and egg production. Moreover, its sheer prevalence in LBMs is concerning due to the associated risks of zoonotic spillover and viral reassortment with other co-circulating AIV subtypes...
Emergence of high-pathogenicity avian influenza virus (HPAIV) H5 or H7 variants, following infection with low-pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAIV) of several poultry flocks or directly after infection of a single of few flocks within a poultry farm, emphasizes the need for understanding co-circulation dynamics of LPAIV and HPAIV in poultry farms to develop adequate control strategies....
Since 2020, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b has spread rapidly and widely, affecting a growing diversity of avian species across five continents and increasingly spilling over into mammals. Addressing this challenge requires characterising both where environmental conditions are suitable for viral circulation and where the wild bird reservoir poses the greatest...
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) represents a serious threat to animal and human health, with the ongoing H5N1 outbreak within the H5 2.3.4.4b clade being one of the largest on record. Although wild birds are known to be a key reservoir of HPAI, the factors driving prevalence within this reservoir remain poorly understood. In this study we use Bayesian additive regression trees, a...
Previous research efforts on highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI) suggest that different avian species exhibit a varied severity of clinical signs after infection. Waterfowl, such as ducks or geese, can be asymptomatic and act as silent carriers of H5N1, making detection harder and increasing the risk of further transmission, potentially leading to significant economic losses. For...
Avian influenza remains a major threat to animal health, food security and human health due to its capacity for cross-species transmission and rapid evolutionary change. Recent outbreaks in Europe and globally highlight the urgent need for quantitative frameworks that integrate epidemiological, ecological and evolutionary processes across multiple host species.
This minisymposium aims to...
