During the winter of 2020-2021, a new genotype of highly-pathogenic (HP) H5N1 avian influenza A virus emerged in Europe, comprising a reassortant between the epizootic HP clade 2.3.4.4b H5N8 and local low pathogenicity wildfowl strains. This new genotype caused record levels of infections in farmed poultry throughout Europe and quickly traveled, via waterfowl flyways, into North America, Africa and East Asia. Most recently a widespread outbreak of H5N1 has been detected in the USA in dairy cattle and this is our first report describing our findings.
The report was posted on Virological and can be found here:
Preliminary report on genomic epidemiology of the 2024 H5N1 influenza A virus outbreak in U.S. cattle – Part 1
Preliminary report on genomic epidemiology of the 2024 H5N1 influenza A virus outbreak in U.S. cattle – Part 2
