Michelle Wille, etc.,al. [preprint]Skuas as sentinels of high pathogenicity avian influenza H5N1 on the Antarctic Peninsula in the 2024/2025 austral summer. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.02.15.706047
Despite Antarcticas geographic isolation, the first incursion of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was detected in the 2023/24 austral summer. Surveillance for HPAI H5N1 in Antarctica remains patchy due to logistical, financial, and infrastructure challenges, with many suspected cases remaining unconfirmed, and few viral genomes sequences available to date. Through the 2024/25 austral summer we undertook five sampling expeditions to the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula facilitated by cruise ships/operators. Across more than 500 faecal environmental samples collected from apparently healthy penguins and marine mammals, we found no detectable evidence of HPAI H5N1. However, HPAI H5N1 was detected in all but one of the skua carcasses sampled, which, in most cases, were found within meters of penguin sub-colonies. All HPAI H5N1 viral genomes sequences from skuas on the Antarctic Peninsula fell within a single lineage, which included those genomes from skuas sampled in the 2024/25 season from the South Shetland Islands. Genomes were in a different clade to those from the Antarctic Peninsula collected in the 2023/24 austral summer. Our results confirm although the prevalence may be low, HPAI H5N1 is established in Antarctica, emphasizing the need for ongoing surveillance to monitor and mitigate threats to wildlife, even in the planets most isolated regions.
See Also:
Latest articles in those days:
- Host Species Contribution to the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of the 2024-2025 H5N1 Epidemic in Italy 14 hours ago
- mRNA-based influenza vaccine expands the B cell response breadth in humans 14 hours ago
- Molecular surveillance and predictive risk modelling of avian influenza virus in wild birds in Egypt 14 hours ago
- Germany as a key transit hub for the emergence and spread of high pathogenicity avian influenza H5 clade 2.3.4.4b reassortants in Europe 2 days ago
- Degradation of ACSL3 by influenza A virus shifts unfolded protein response from antiviral defense to viral evasion 2 days ago
[Go Top] [Close Window]


