Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #313138
Title: Overview of H5N8 avian influenza virus outbreaks – SEPRL research activities

Author
item Kapczynski, Darrell
item Spackman, Erica
item Pantin Jackwood, Mary
item Suarez, David
item Swayne, David

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/21/2015
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In 2014, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 in poultry farms have been reported in Korea, Japan, China, Germany, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. The first outbreak report of this virus was in domestic ducks in the Republic of Korea in January 2014. In Europe, the first affected flock was detected in November 2014 on a turkey farm in Germany. HPAI H5N8 was subsequently detected in a duck farm in Yorkshire, UK, and in five poultry farms in the South Holland region of the Netherlands. In December 2014, the confirmation of H5N8 HPAI was announced in gyrfalcons in Washington State. Interestingly, at the same time, detection of HPAI H5N2 was also determined in the same area. In poultry related cases, direct contact with wild birds in the affected area was unlikely. It appears that indirect contact of HPAI H5N8 from humans, vehicles, fomites, etc., to poultry flocks is the most likely scenario for virus introduction. Given the apparent low virulence of HPAI H5N8 for several wild bird species, the risk of virus transmission to commercial poultry in the U.S. is high. An active assessment of biosecurity procedures is critical to restriction of the virus from poultry. An overview of SEPRL research activities of these viruses will be provided.