As Europe entered autumn, a handful of states there started to detect the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses in wild birds found dead. As the season has progressed, a growing number of outbreaks have been recorded in poultry flocks. So far, the number of outbreaks has been low, but presence of HPAI in wild birds has been followed in previous years by a spike in the disease on commercial farms across the continent and beyond.
Recent outbreaks on poultry farms in 5 European states
So far this year, 148 HPAI outbreaks have been recorded in commercial poultry in 14 countries of the region. This is according to the latest update of the Animal Disease Information System by the European Commission (EC; September 18), which monitors the animal disease situation member states of the European Union (EU) and selected adjacent countries.
For comparison, the system logged a total of 521 HPAI outbreaks in this population across 24 countries during the whole of 2023.
Since mid-August, France and Germany had each confirmed three outbreaks in poultry, and there has been an increase of one in the totals for the Czech Republic (Czechia), Denmark, and Poland. In all of these cases, the birds have tested positive for the H5N1 serotype of the virus.
Multiple outbreaks confirmed in poultry in French, German regions
Further details of the HPAI situation in each country is provided in notifications to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
Since early August, France has registered three outbreaks in poultry linked to the H5N1 virus variant (as of September 24). All occurred at farms in different departments, but all were in the northwestern region of Brittany (Bretagne). Directly affected in total have been around 6,500 commercial birds.
Over the past week, three outbreaks involving the same virus serotype have been recorded in Germany. All were at commercial premises in the same district of the central-eastern state of Saxony Anhalt. Each with a mixed flock of between 34 and 118 birds — a total of 316 poultry.
Following a five-month hiatus, the H5N1 HPAI virus has been detected again in the Czech Republic. In mid-September, around 50 geese died suddenly as a farm in the Central Bohemian region, according to the WOAH notification. From this source, it appears that there were 1,000 poultry at the farm — 700 geese and 300 hens — and that 848 of them have been culled to control the further spread of infection.
In Denmark, the same virus serotype surfaced again in early September following an apparent absence of six months. Testing positive was a commercial flock comprising around 3,500 ducks and 2,800 hens in the Zealand region.
The presence of the H5N1 serotype of the HPAI virus has been confirmed to WOAH for each of these outbreaks.
Northwest Poland’s Lubusz province had been free of HPAI since the end of February until its presence was detected again at a farm with around 14,700 meat turkeys in late August, according to the nation’s chief veterinary office.
New cases in captive birds
For the year to date, the EC System has recorded a total of 48 HPAI outbreaks in Europe’s captive birds (backyards, zoos and similar premises). These have occurred in nine of the region’s states.
Since mid-August, Spain and Portugal have confirmed their first cases in this category of the year, bringing the total number of countries affected to nine.
In 2023, the same source registered a total of 99 outbreaks in captive birds in 15 European states.
At the end of August, the Czech Republic’s first outbreak of the season in this category was confirmed in the southwestern region of Southern Bohemia. Affected was a backyard flock of eight birds.
Subsequent to the latest EC update, the first ever HPAI infections linked to the H5N1 virus have been confirmed in the Nisporeni district in western Moldova. To date, outbreaks have been confirmed at six locations in a single village, according to WOAH notifications. Each involved a mixed flock of captive wild geese and domestic chickens.
In central Ukraine, first cases of HPAI since March have been registered with WOAH in the province of Kirovohrad. Affected was a village flock of 128 domestic birds, which tested positive for the H5N1 virus variant during the past week.
France to continue HPAI vaccination program
So far, around 54.8 million of the nation's poultry have received a dose of vaccine against HPAI, according to the French agriculture ministry (as of September 1). The highest numbers of birds receiving the vaccine have been in the western regions of Pays de la Loire (24.0 million), and Nouvelle Aquitaine (15.5 million).
Financed by the state, the program began in October of last year, with the aim to vaccinate all commercial duck flocks nationwide. This poultry subgroup had been hit hardest by a series of HPAI outbreaks during recent years. The current phase of the campaign is scheduled to run until the end of this month, and to have cost around EUR96 million (US$107 million).
At the end of August, the ministry reported agreement had been reached with poultry industry stakeholders over the division of costs for the next phase of the mandatory duck HPAI vaccination campaign (October to December of this year).
Previously, the French state committed to covering 70% of the costs of the new campaign, which is scheduled to begin on October 1.
Under the latest agreement, the French agriculture ministry will cover all costs relating to the purchase of the vaccine, its storage and transport, and supervision of vaccinations by a veterinarian. Furthermore, it will pay for monthly post-vaccination surveillance (to detect possible low-level virus circulation in apparently healthy birds), as well as sample analysis during active surveillance.
Meanwhile, the poultry sector will be responsible for the costs of carrying out the vaccinations, and for weekly passive surveillance on any birds found sick or dead.
According to the ministry, the French state has also covered compensation to the national poultry sector for HPAI outbreaks. This has cost more than EUR1 billion over the last three years.
HPAI season begins for European wild birds
While few cases of wild birds testing positive for HPAI were reported across the region over the summer months, there has been a recent uptick in confirmed infections.
According to the EC System, 435 outbreaks in this population were confirmed in 29 states so far this year (as of September 18).
This represents an increase of just 19 outbreaks since mid-August, and compares with over 3,500 outbreaks in 30 countries during the whole of 2023.
Based on notifications to WOAH from the national animal health agencies, first cases of the fall/autumn season have been confirmed in the wild bird populations of Austria, Croatia, Denmark, France, and Ukraine since mid-August. This also applies to the German states of Bavaria, Hamburg city, Hesse, and Saxony Anhalt.
Further cases in ongoing disease outbreaks waves involving wild birds have been registered with WOAH by Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the German state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation in poultry, and on disease developments in the U.S. dairy sector.
