Summary
Report type: immediate notification
Started: 12 Apr 2022
Confirmed: 2 May 2022
Reported: 6 May 2022
Reason for notification: unusual host species
Causal agent: Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Serotype: H5N1
Nature of diagnosis: clinical, laboratory
This event pertains to the whole country.

Outbreak location: St. Marys, Perth, Ontario
Started: 12 Apr 2022
Epidemiological unit: not applicable
Total animals affected:
Species / Susceptible / Cases / Deaths / Killed and disposed of /
Slaughtered or killed for commercial use / Vaccinated
Red fox (_Vulpes vulpes_): Canidae-Carnivora / - / 2 / 2 / - / - / -
Affected population: 2 wild fox kits

Epidemiology
Source of the outbreak(s) or origin of infection: contact with wild
species, unknown or inconclusive.
Epidemiological comments: This is the 1st report of highly pathogenic
avian influenza in mammals in Canada. The sequencing results indicate
that the HA proteins from both red fox kits belongs to Eurasian Gs/GD
lineage HPAI H5N1 with cleavage site motif "PLREKRRKR/GLF" compatible
with HPAI viruses. The virus from both red foxes contains unique
constellation of gene segments with PB2, PB1, PA, and NP belonging to
wild bird origin North American lineage influenza A viruses. The
remaining gene segments (HA, NA, M, and NS) belong to Eurasian
lineage.

Diagnostic test results
Laboratory name and type: National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease
(NCFAD), Winnipeg, Manitoba National Laboratory
Species / Test / Test date / Result
Red fox / gene sequencing / 2 May 2022 / positive
Red fox / real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
(rRT-PCR) / 2 May 2022 / positive