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BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article

Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. One Health
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1423404

Confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in Skuas, Antarctica 2024

Provisionally accepted
Benjamin Bennett Benjamin Bennett 1Barbara Berezay Barbara Berezay 1gabriela Munoz gabriela Munoz 1Naomi Ariyama Naomi Ariyama 1Nikita Enciso Nikita Enciso 1Christina Braun Christina Braun 2Lucas Krüger Lucas Krüger 3Miloš Barták Miloš Barták 4Marcelo Gonzalez Marcelo Gonzalez 3Victor Neira Victor Neira 1*
  • 1 Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
  • 2 Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
  • 3 Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH), Punta Arenas, Chile
  • 4 Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, South Moravia, Czechia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    From December 2023 to March 2024, a surveillance program aiming to detect Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was conducted on Antarctica territories, specifically at Fildes Peninsula (King George Island, Maritime Antarctic), and James Ross Island. At Fildes Peninsula, samples from marine birds and mammals were collected from four accessible sampling locations with significant animal colonies: Ardley Island, hosting a large concentration of Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua); Ardley Cove, where small groups of likely non-breeding Chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus) were present; seal haul-out sites of Southern elephant (Mirounga leonina) and Weddell (Leptonycotes wedellii); and, a nesting site of Southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus). Additionally, six samples were collected from five dead skuas near the Lachman lakes on James Ross Island (63.7989 S, 57.8105 W) on March 3, 2024. Despite collecting a total of 943 samples from Fildes Peninsula, all results tested negative for HPAI, and no animals displayed clinical signs or behaviors consistent with HPAI infection. However, all skua samples from James Ross Island tested positive for HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4 by specific real-time RT-PCR reactions, confirming the first recorded HPAI-related mortality event in Antarctica (south of 60°S), specifically in skuas. Further research is necessary to genetically characterize the virus and better understand the role of skuas in viral dissemination in Antarctica.

    Keywords: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza; Avian Influenza, Antarctica, Antarctic wildlife, Skuas, H5N1 2.3.4.4b

    Received: 25 Apr 2024; Accepted: 06 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Bennett, Berezay, Munoz, Ariyama, Enciso, Braun, Krüger, Barták, Gonzalez and Neira. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Victor Neira, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile

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