articlenpj BiodiversityJan 7, 2026DIAMOND OA

The role of wild birds in the global highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 panzootic, 2020–2023

MCManon CoutyCGClaire GuinatDFDiletta FornasieroFBFrançois‐Xavier BriandPHPierre-Yves Henry

École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse · Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées · +7 more institutions

PubMed
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Abstract

The emergence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5 clade 2.3.4.4b has triggered an unprecedented global panzootic in recent years. As the frequency and scale of HPAI H5 outbreaks continue to rise, understanding how wild birds contribute to shape the global virus spread across regions-affecting poultry, domestic and wild mammals-is increasingly critical. In this review, we examine ecological and evolutionary studies to map the global transmission routes of HPAI H5 viruses, identify key wild bird species involved in viral dissemination, and explore infection patterns, including mortality and survival. We also highlight major remaining knowledge gaps that hinder a full understanding of wild birds' role…

Citation impact

4
total citations
FWCI
78.94
Percentile
100%
References
165
Too recent for citation history.

Authors

8

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Influenza A virus subtype H5N1
  • Highly pathogenic
  • Outbreak
  • Wildlife
  • Clade
  • Transmission (telecommunications)
  • Influenza A virus
  • Avian influenza virus
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