Cronk BD, Caserta LC, Laverack M, Gerdes RS, Hynes. Infection and tissue distribution of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A type H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in Red Fox kits ( Vulpes vulpes). Emerg Microbes Infect . 2023 Aug 17;2249554
Avian influenza H5N1 is a highly pathogenic virus that primarily affects birds. However, it can also infect other animal species, including mammals. We report the infection of nine juvenile red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A type H5N1 (Clade 2.3.4.4b) in the spring of 2022 in the central, western, and northern regions of New York, USA. The foxes displayed neurologic signs, and examination of brain and lung tissue revealed lesions, with brain lesions ranging from moderate to severe meningoencephalitis. Analysis of tissue tropism using RT-PCR methods showed a comparatively lower Ct value in the brain, confirmed by in situ hybridization targeting Influenza A RNA. The viral RNA labelling was highly clustered and overlapped the brain lesions, neurons, and grey matter. Whole genome sequences obtained from the affected foxes were subjected to phylogenetic and mutation analysis to determine influenza A clade, host specificity, and potential occurrence of viral reassortment. Infections in red foxes likely occurred due to preying on infected wild birds and are unlikely due to transmission between foxes or other mammals.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- [preprint]Susceptibility of bovine respiratory and mammary epithelial cells to avian and mammalian derived clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses 11 hours ago
- Genetic Diversity of H10N3 Avian Influenza Virus Isolated from Anhui Province, China 11 hours ago
- Molecular origion of human infection with a novel avian influenza A H10N3 virus in China, 2021 12 hours ago
- Clade 2.3.4.4b but not historical clade 1 HA replicating RNA vaccine protects against bovine H5N1 challenge in mice 12 hours ago
- GGCX promotes Eurasian avian-like H1N1 swine influenza virus adaption to interspecies receptor binding 12 hours ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]