Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom

Tobias Floyd; Ashley C. Banyard; Fabian Z.X. Lean; Alexander M.P. Byrne; Edward Fullick; Elliot Whittard; Benjamin C. Mollett; Steve Bexton; Vanessa Swinson; Michele Macrelli; Nicola S. Lewis; Scott M. Reid; Alejandro Núñez; J. Paul Duff; Rowena Hansen; Ian H. Brown

doi:10.3201/eid2711.211225

Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom

Tobias Floyd
, Ashley C. Banyard^*
, Fabian Z.X. Lean
, Alexander M.P. Byrne
, Edward Fullick
, Elliot Whittard
, Benjamin C. Mollett
, Steve Bexton
, Vanessa Swinson
, Michele Macrelli
, Nicola S. Lewis
, Scott M. Reid
, Alejandro Núñez
, J. Paul Duff
, Rowena Hansen
, Ian H. Brown

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

78 Citations (Scopus)

2 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

We report a disease and mortality event involving swans, seals, and a fox at a wildlife rehabilitation center in the United Kingdom during late 2020. Five swans had onset of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection while in captivity. Subsequently, 5 seals and a fox died (or were euthanized) after onset of clinical disease. Avian-origin influenza A virus subtype H5N8 was retrospectively determined as the cause of disease. Infection in the seals manifested as seizures, and immunohistochemical and molecular testing on postmortem samples detected a neurologic distribution of viral products. The fox died overnight after sudden onset of inappetence, and postmortem tissues revealed neurologic and respiratory distribution of viral products. Live virus was isolated from the swans, seals, and the fox, and a single genetic change was detected as a potential adaptive mutation in the mammalian-derived viral sequences. No human influenza-like illness was reported in the weeks after the event. © 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2856-2863
Number of pages	8
Journal	Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume	27
Issue number	11
Online published	13 Oct 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2711.211225
Publication status	Published - Nov 2021
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All rights reserved.

Funding

A.C.B., A.M.P.B., E.W., B.C.M., S.M.R., R.H., and I.B. were funded in part by the UK Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs and the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales (grant nos. SE2213, SV3400, and SV3006, respectively). A.C.B . and I.B were also part funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme “DELTA-FLU: Dynamics of avian influenza in a changing world” under grant agreement No 727922. The APHA Diseases of Wildlife Scheme is funded by the UK Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs and the devolved governments of Scotland and Wales (grant no. ED1600).

Publisher's Copyright Statement

COPYRIGHT TERMS OF DEPOSITED FINAL PUBLISHED VERSION FILE: All materials published in Emerging Infectious Diseases, including text, figures, tables, and photographs, are in the public domain and can be reprinted or used without permission with proper citation. Floyd, T., Banyard, A. C., Lean, F., Byrne, A., Fullick, E., Whittard, E....Brown, I. H. (2021). Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(11), 2856-2863. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2711.211225.

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Floyd, T., Banyard, A. C., Lean, F. Z. X., Byrne, A. M. P., Fullick, E., Whittard, E., Mollett, B. C., Bexton, S., Swinson, V., Macrelli, M., Lewis, N. S., Reid, S. M., Núñez, A., Duff, J. P., Hansen, R., & Brown, I. H. (2021). Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(11), 2856-2863. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2711.211225

@article{ba5812018f5147d3bc236e369329d235,

title = "Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom",

abstract = "We report a disease and mortality event involving swans, seals, and a fox at a wildlife rehabilitation center in the United Kingdom during late 2020. Five swans had onset of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection while in captivity. Subsequently, 5 seals and a fox died (or were euthanized) after onset of clinical disease. Avian-origin influenza A virus subtype H5N8 was retrospectively determined as the cause of disease. Infection in the seals manifested as seizures, and immunohistochemical and molecular testing on postmortem samples detected a neurologic distribution of viral products. The fox died overnight after sudden onset of inappetence, and postmortem tissues revealed neurologic and respiratory distribution of viral products. Live virus was isolated from the swans, seals, and the fox, and a single genetic change was detected as a potential adaptive mutation in the mammalian-derived viral sequences. No human influenza-like illness was reported in the weeks after the event. {\textcopyright} 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).",

author = "Tobias Floyd and Banyard, \{Ashley C.\} and Lean, \{Fabian Z.X.\} and Byrne, \{Alexander M.P.\} and Edward Fullick and Elliot Whittard and Mollett, \{Benjamin C.\} and Steve Bexton and Vanessa Swinson and Michele Macrelli and Lewis, \{Nicola S.\} and Reid, \{Scott M.\} and Alejandro N{\'u}{\~n}ez and Duff, \{J. Paul\} and Rowena Hansen and Brown, \{Ian H.\}",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

doi = "10.3201/eid2711.211225",

language = "English",

volume = "27",

pages = "2856--2863",

journal = "Emerging Infectious Diseases",

issn = "1080-6040",

publisher = "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)",

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Floyd, T, Banyard, AC, Lean, FZX, Byrne, AMP, Fullick, E, Whittard, E, Mollett, BC, Bexton, S, Swinson, V, Macrelli, M, Lewis, NS, Reid, SM, Núñez, A, Duff, JP, Hansen, R & Brown, IH 2021, 'Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom', Emerging Infectious Diseases, vol. 27, no. 11, pp. 2856-2863. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2711.211225

Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom. / Floyd, Tobias; Banyard, Ashley C.; Lean, Fabian Z.X. et al.
In: Emerging Infectious Diseases, Vol. 27, No. 11, 11.2021, p. 2856-2863.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom

AU - Floyd, Tobias

AU - Banyard, Ashley C.

AU - Lean, Fabian Z.X.

AU - Byrne, Alexander M.P.

AU - Fullick, Edward

AU - Whittard, Elliot

AU - Mollett, Benjamin C.

AU - Bexton, Steve

AU - Swinson, Vanessa

AU - Macrelli, Michele

AU - Lewis, Nicola S.

AU - Reid, Scott M.

AU - Núñez, Alejandro

AU - Duff, J. Paul

AU - Hansen, Rowena

AU - Brown, Ian H.

PY - 2021/11

Y1 - 2021/11

N2 - We report a disease and mortality event involving swans, seals, and a fox at a wildlife rehabilitation center in the United Kingdom during late 2020. Five swans had onset of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection while in captivity. Subsequently, 5 seals and a fox died (or were euthanized) after onset of clinical disease. Avian-origin influenza A virus subtype H5N8 was retrospectively determined as the cause of disease. Infection in the seals manifested as seizures, and immunohistochemical and molecular testing on postmortem samples detected a neurologic distribution of viral products. The fox died overnight after sudden onset of inappetence, and postmortem tissues revealed neurologic and respiratory distribution of viral products. Live virus was isolated from the swans, seals, and the fox, and a single genetic change was detected as a potential adaptive mutation in the mammalian-derived viral sequences. No human influenza-like illness was reported in the weeks after the event. © 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

AB - We report a disease and mortality event involving swans, seals, and a fox at a wildlife rehabilitation center in the United Kingdom during late 2020. Five swans had onset of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus infection while in captivity. Subsequently, 5 seals and a fox died (or were euthanized) after onset of clinical disease. Avian-origin influenza A virus subtype H5N8 was retrospectively determined as the cause of disease. Infection in the seals manifested as seizures, and immunohistochemical and molecular testing on postmortem samples detected a neurologic distribution of viral products. The fox died overnight after sudden onset of inappetence, and postmortem tissues revealed neurologic and respiratory distribution of viral products. Live virus was isolated from the swans, seals, and the fox, and a single genetic change was detected as a potential adaptive mutation in the mammalian-derived viral sequences. No human influenza-like illness was reported in the weeks after the event. © 2021 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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DO - 10.3201/eid2711.211225

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

C2 - 34670647

AN - SCOPUS:85117958614

SN - 1080-6040

VL - 27

SP - 2856

EP - 2863

JO - Emerging Infectious Diseases

JF - Emerging Infectious Diseases

IS - 11

ER -

Encephalitis and Death in Wild Mammals at a Rehabilitation Center after Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Virus, United Kingdom

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Publisher's Copyright Statement

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