Epidemiological data of an influenza A/H5N1 outbreak in elephant seals in Argentina indicates mammal-to-mammal transmission
University of California System · Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagónico · +9 more institutions
Abstract
H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza virus has killed thousands of marine mammals in South America since 2022. Here we report epidemiological data and full genome characterization of clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 HPAI viruses associated with a massive outbreak in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Península Valdés, Argentina, in October 2023. We also report on H5N1 viruses in concurrently dead terns. Our genomic analysis shows that viruses from pinnipeds and terns in Argentina form a distinct clade with marine mammal viruses from Peru, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. Additionally, these marine mammal clade viruses share an identical set of mammalian adaptation mutations which were also present in tern viruses.…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 40.49
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 96
Authors
10- MUMarcela UhartCorresponding
University of California System, Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagónico
- RERalph Eric Thijl Vanstreels
University of California, Davis
- MIMartha I. Nelson
National Institutes of Health, National Center for Biotechnology Information
- VOValeria Olivera
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
- JCJulieta Campagna
Wildlife Conservation Society Argentina
Topics & keywords
- Outbreak
- Marine mammal
- Influenza A virus subtype H5N1
- Mammal
- Transmission (telecommunications)
- Epidemiology
- Biology
- Pandemic
- Life below water