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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Athens, Georgia » U.S. National Poultry Research Center » Exotic & Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317204

Title: Current situation on highly pathogenic avian influenza

Author
item Pantin Jackwood, Mary
item Spackman, Erica
item Kapczynski, Darrell
item Suarez, David
item Swayne, David

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/2/2015
Publication Date: 6/10/2015
Citation: Pantin Jackwood, M.J., Spackman, E., Kapczynski, D.R., Suarez, D.L., Swayne, D.E. 2015. Current situation on highly pathogenic avian influenza [abstract]. Avian Influenza: Control Efforts and Trade Impacts. WattAgNet Webinar. June 10, 2015.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Avian influenza is one of the most important diseases affecting the poultry industry worldwide. Avian influenza viruses can cause a range of clinical disease in poultry. Viruses that cause severe disease and mortality are referred to as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses. The Asian lineage H5N1 HPAI viruses have spread to infect and cause deaths in wild birds, poultry, and humans in over 63 countries in Asia, Europe, and Africa. Recently, a reassortant of these viruses, the H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4 HPAI virus, has spread through migratory birds from Asia to Europe and North America with further reassortment with North America low pathogenicity avian influenza to generate the H5N2 HPAI virus currently causing outbreaks in poultry in the United States. These H5N8 and H5N2 HPAI viruses have reduced virulence and transmissibility for gallinaceous birds compared to historical H5N1 HPAI viruses, but the virus is highly infectious and very transmissible in mallards, which show no illness.