Mass Mortality in Terns and Gulls Associated with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses in Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan

Mass mortality in Caspian terns (Hydroprogne caspia), Pallas's gulls (Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus), and Caspian gulls (Larus cachinnans) was recorded on the northeastern shores of the Caspian Sea in June 2022. More than 5000 gulls and terns died due to the outbreak. The outbreak was investigated in the field, and representative numbers of samples were collected and analyzed using pathological, virological, and molecular methods. Highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses were detected and isolated from samples collected from dead birds. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the hemagglutinin (HA) genes belonged to the clade 2.3.4.4.b of the H5Nx HPAI viruses, B2 sub-lineage, and were closely related to the highly pathogenic influenza viruses, caused an outbreak in wild birds with a high mortality rate in the western part of the Caspian Sea.

Keywords (eng)

AnimalsInfluenza in Birds VirologyInfluenza in Birds EpidemiologyInfluenza in Birds MortalityCharadriiformes VirologyPhylogenyKazakhstan EpidemiologyDisease Outbreaks VeterinaryInfluenza A Virus H5N1 SubtypeInfluenza A Virus H5N1 Subtype GeneticsInfluenza A Virus H5N1 PathogenicityInfluenza A Virus H5N1 Isolation & purificationInfluenza A Virus H5N1 ClassificationHemagglutinin GlycoproteinsInfluenza VirusInfluenza GeneticsWildvirology

Type (eng)

journal article

Language

[eng]

Persistent identifier

https://phaidra.vetmeduni.ac.at/o:3790

DOI

10.3390/v16111661

Is in series

Title (eng)

Viruses

Volume