Report highlights evolution in HPAI situation in European birds

While France has declared the avian influenza situation “resolved,” the first cases have been confirmed in Croatia.

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H5N1 or H5N5 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus serotypes were detected at around 660 locations across 27 European countries over the past two months.

This is according to the latest review of the disease situation by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) with other European health organizations. Just published, the analysis covers states that are members of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA), and the period from September 21 to December 6.

Of the total, domestic birds (poultry) were affected in 341 of the outbreaks, with wild birds accounting for the remaining cases.

In its report, EFSA noted that many of the recent outbreaks occurred in areas of high poultry density. Furthermore, it says, secondary spread from infected farms was a major factor — rather than transmission from infected wild birds.

Over the review period, EFSA reports there were no detections of HPAI viruses in people or other mammals in the region.

In terms of human health, the agencies confirm that the risk of infection to the general population from the H5 virus currently circulating in Europe remains low. For those in contact with infected animals or contaminated environments, the risk of infection remains low-to-moderate, according to the reports. 

First HPAI outbreaks in poultry in Croatia, England

Over the past two weeks, Croatia has reported its first cases of HPAI linked to the H5N1 virus serotype in poultry in the area of the capital city, Zagreb.

The presence of the virus was confirmed after 22 birds in a backyard flock died at the end of November, according to the official notification from the national animal health agency to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

At the start of December, the same virus was detected in the United Kingdom (U.K.) following an eight-month hiatus. Affected was a flock of around 18,300 meat turkeys in the country of Norfolk in eastern England. 

During the following week, a further three farm outbreaks were reported to WOAH. These involved one further flock of meat turkeys, and two of ducks. Two were also located in Norfolk, and one further north in Yorkshire.

As of December 19, the H5N1 virus has been detected at a further six farms — five more in Norfolk, and one in Yorkshire. According to the government's agriculture department, Defra, this brings the national outbreak total so far in 2024 to 13.

Based on these developments and increasing numbers of infections in wild birds, Defra declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) covering the East Riding of Yorkshire, city of Hull, and counties of Norfolk and Suffolk to mitigate the risk of HPAI spread.

Conditions of the AIPZ require all poultry owners — both commercial and hobby — to protect their flocks.  Currently, housing of the birds is only mandatory within the 3-km protection zone around a suspected or confirmed outbreak. 

Further poultry flocks affected in 5 European states

Since mid-November, Poland’s outbreak total for the season has risen to 45 as the H5N1 virus was detected on three farms during the last week of last month. Affected were flocks of meat turkeys in three different provinces, according to the latest WOAH report.

More than 3.1 million of the nation’s poultry have been impacted by these outbreaks, according to the chief veterinary office.

Furthermore, the national veterinary agency has informed WOAH about four more HPAI outbreaks in backyard poultry flocks.

In Germany, poultry have tested positive for the same virus serotype at two farms in the northwestern state of Lower Saxony, and in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania in the northeast of the country, according to the latest WOAH notifications.

Also registering two additional outbreaks with the Organisation over the past two weeks were Hungary and Italy. A second outbreak of the season has been confirmed in the Netherlands.

Earlier this week, the French agriculture ministry announced that the whole country is free of HPAI.  

This self-declaration followed the lifting of restrictions on the last of the 12 confirmed outbreaks on poultry farms, and three in non-commercial flocks in France over recent months. Important for exports of poultry products, the recovery of the country’s disease-free status is attributed to the efforts of all stakeholders in the industry, and to the on-going duck vaccination program, according to the ministry. However, the assessment of the disease risk level remains at “high.” 

Rising wild bird cases in Europe

After an absence of 13 months, the H5N1 HPAI virus was detected in the wild bird population of the Republic of Ireland, according to a recent WOAH notification. Testing positive was a bird of prey found dead in county Galway in the west of the country at the end of November.

Over the last two weeks, 15 other countries in the region identified further HPAI cases linked to the H5N1 virus serotype in their respective wild bird populations. A further two — Iceland and Norway — reported more cases involving the H5N5 variant. This is according to the Animal Disease Information System by the European Commission (EC), which monitors listed animal diseases in EU member states and adjacent countries, including the Republic of Türkiye (Turkey).

The EC System does not cover the U.K. The animal health agency there has confirmed to WOAH that a further six wild birds have tested positive for the H5N1 virus, and there have been three more H5N5 cases in the wild population.

Over the period September 21 to December 5, 316 wild birds across the EU and EEA tested positive for HPAI, according to the EFSA review of the disease situation.

The report notes that many of the outbreaks over those months involved waterfowl — particularly swans — in southeastern Europe. Furthermore, it highlights that the H5N5 virus serotype is being detected over a wider geographical area, and is now also affecting gulls and crows.

View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation in poultry, and on disease developments in the U.S. dairy sector.

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