Report type

Immediate notification

Date of start of the event

12/08/2016

Date of confirmation of the event

25/08/2016

Report date

26/08/2016

Date submitted to OIE

26/08/2016

Reason for notification

Reoccurrence of a listed disease

Date of previous occurrence

24/03/2016

Manifestation of disease

Sub-clinical infection

Causal agent

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

Serotype

H5N2

Nature of diagnosis

Laboratory (advanced)

This event pertains to

a defined zone within the country

Summary of outbreaks

Total outbreaks: 1

Outbreak Location

• ALASKA ( Fairbanks North Star Borough, Fairbanks North Star Borough )

Total animals affected

Outbreak statistics

* Removed from the susceptible population through death, destruction and/or slaughter;
** Not calculated because of missing information;

Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection

• Contact with wild species

Epidemiological comments

The sample, from a wild mallard duck, was collected during a live bird banding program at a wildlife refuge in Alaska.
Genome sequencing results show that the Alaska isolate is an Eurasian/American (EA/AM) H5N2 HPAI strain. The partial genome fragments that have been analyzed thus far are >99% similar to the virus isolated from a northern pintail duck in Washington State in December 2014. The H5N2 outbreak viruses from 2015 were all >99% similar to the northern pintail index case (A/Northern pintail/Washington/40964/2014 H5N2). Efforts to obtain sequence data for the full genome are underway.
This is the first detection of HPAI in a wild bird this year. This detection of HPAI (EA/AM) H5N2 virus in a wild bird is NOT associated with any commercial poultry in the United States.

Measures applied

• Vaccination prohibited
• No treatment of affected animals

Measures to be applied

• No other measures

Laboratory name and type

National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) ( National laboratory )

Tests and results

The event is continuing. Weekly follow-up reports will be submitted.