Rahman I, Wight J, Cunningham JT, Ochoa PS, Wallac. Surveillance of live birds for active and past infections reveals the impact of highly pathogenic H5N1 on seabird populations in Atlantic Canada. Can J Microbiol. 2026 Jan 16
Highly pathogenic avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b H5Nx viruses (HPAIVs) have caused significant mortality in wild birds. We investigated active avian influenza virus (AIV) infections and assessed seroprevalence based on general nucleoprotein-specific and H5-specific antibodies, in seabirds in Atlantic Canada during 2022-2023. Results were compared to seroprevalence data from 2011-2016 to evaluate changes in infection rates following the incursion of HPAIV. We sampled 1073 wild live birds belonging to 14 species. Active H5Nx infections were detected only in 2022, with the highest prevalence in Common Murres (64%), followed by Black-legged Kittiwakes (13%). Differences in seroprevalence were observed between years and species, with both Common Murres and Atlantic Puffins exhibiting higher rates after HPAIV incursion, particularly for anti-H5-specific antibodies. Seroprevalence also differed between locations, and age-related differences in exposure were observed with juvenile birds having much lower seroprevalence than adult birds, particularly among gulls. Despite no active infections being detected in 2023, high seroprevalence across species suggests persisting immunity and/or recent virus circulation. These findings underscore the importance of serological monitoring in tracking AIV dynamics, as antibody detection provides critical insights into past HPAIV exposure even when active infection rates are low.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- Determinants of the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Uptake Among People Aged 50 Years or Above During and After the Pandemic: A Systematic Review 10 hours ago
- [preprint]A GIS-based framework for standardized environmental characterization in One-Health surveillance: a case study of HPAI monitoring in wetlands 11 hours ago
- First detection and transatlantic introduction of Influenza A(H3N2) subclade K (J.2.4.1) into Ecuador: insights from genomic sentinel surveillance 11 hours ago
- Assessment of influenza virus and coronavirus tropism, replication competence and disease severity in ex vivo and in vitro cultures of the human respiratory tract 1 days ago
- Characterization of bovine-derived H5N1 viruses expressing fluorescent and luminescent reporter proteins 1 days ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]


