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Volume 29, Number 12—December 2023
Research

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Clade 2.3.4.4b Infections in Wild Terrestrial Mammals, United States, 2022

Elizabeth J. ElsmoComments to Author , Arno Wünschmann, Kimberlee B. Beckmen, Liam E. Broughton-Neiswanger, Elizabeth L. Buckles, Jayne Ellis, Scott D. Fitzgerald, Robert Gerlach, Shawna Hawkins, Hon S. Ip, Julia S. Lankton, Erin M. Lemley, Julianna B. Lenoch, Mary L. Killian, Kristina Lantz, Lindsey Long, Roger Maes, Marta Mainenti, Julie Melotti, Megan E. Moriarty, Shotaro Nakagun, Rachel M. Ruden, Valerie Shearn-Bochsler, Danielle Thompson, Mia K. Torchetti, Arnaud J. Van Wettere, Annabel G. Wise, and Ailam L. Lim
Author affiliations: University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin, USA (E.J. Elsmo, S. Hawkins, E.M. Lemley, A.L. Lim); Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Madison (E.J. Elsmo, A.L. Lim); Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (A. Wünschmann); Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA (K.B. Beckmen); Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Pullman, Washington, USA (L.E. Broughton-Neiswanger); New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Ithaca, New York, USA (E.L. Buckles, S. Nakagun); Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Lansing, Michigan, USA (J. Ellis, S.D. Fitzgerald, R. Maes, D. Thompson, A.G. Wise); Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Anchorage, Alaska, USA (R. Gerlach); National Wildlife Health Center, Madison (H.S. Ip, J.S. Lankton, V. Shearn-Bochsler); Dane County Humane Society’s Wildlife Center, Madison (E.M. Lemley); US Department of Agriculture National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (J.B. Lenoch); US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Ames, Iowa, USA (M.L. Killian, K. Lantz, M.K. Torchetti); Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison (L. Long); Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Ames (M.E. Mainenti, R.M. Ruden); Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Lansing (J. Melotti, M.E. Moriarty); Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Ames (R.M. Ruden); Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Logan, Utah, USA (A.J. Van Wettere)

Main Article

Table 1

Results for avian influenza virus results for wild mammals by specimen type, grouped by species, United States, 2022*

Animal Test No. positive or present/no. tested or examined (%)
Nasal swab OP swab Nasal and OP swab Tracheal swab Brain Heart Lung Liver Lymphoid system
Red fox
PCR 20/22 (90) 15/18 (83) 9/9 (100) 5/7 (71) 31/32 (96) 7/8 (87) 12/13 (92) NA NA
Lesions NA NA NA NA 38/38 (100) 25/37 (68) 35/38 (92) 13/32 (41) 18/32 (56)
IHC
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 13/17 (76)
 3/5 (60)
 2/15 (13)
 1/3 (33)
 0/3 (0)
Skunk
 PCR NA 1/1 (100) NA NA 3/3 (100) NA 3/3 (100) 2/2 (100)† 2/2 (100)†
Lesions NA NA NA NA 3/5 (60) 0/5 (0) 5/5 (100) 5/5 (100) 5/5 (100)
IHC
NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 2/2 (100)
 5/5 (100)
 1/1 (100)
Raccoon
 PCR 1/1 (100) 3/3 (100) NA NA 1/1 (100) NA NA NA NA
Lesions NA NA NA NA 4/4 (100) 1/4 (25) 3/4 (75) 1/4 (25) 2/4 (50)
IHC
NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 1/1 (100)
 1/1 (100)
 1/1 (100)
 NA
 1/1 (100)
Opossum
 PCR NA 2/2 (100) 2/2 (100) NA 2/2 (100) NA NA NA NA
Lesions NA NA NA NA 1/2 (50) 0/2 (0) 0/2 (0) 1/2 (50) 0/2 (0)
IHC
NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 2/2 (100)
 NA
 1/2 (50)
 NA
 NA
Bobcat
 PCR 2/2 (100) 2/2 (100) NA NA 2/2 (100) 1/2 (50) 2/2 (100) NA NA
Lesions NA NA NA NA 2/2 (100) 2/2 (100) 1/2 (50) 1/2 (50) 2/2 (100)
IHC
NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 1/2 (50)
 NA
 0/2 (0)
 NA
 NA
Coyote
 PCR NA NA 1/1 (100) 1/1 (100) NA NA NA NA NA
Lesions NA NA NA NA 1/1 (100) 1/1 (100) 1/1 (100) A 0/1 (0)
IHC
NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
Gray fox
PCR NA NA 1/1 (100) 0/1 (0) 0/1 (0) NA NA NA NA
Lesions NA NA NA NA 0/1 (0) 0/1 (0) 0/1 (0) 0/1 (0) 0/1 (0)
IHC
NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
Fisher
 PCR NA 1/1 (100) NA NA 1/1 (100) NA 1/1 (100) 1/1 (100) 1/1 (100)
Lesions NA NA NA NA 1/1 (100) 0/1 (0) 1/1 (100) 1/1 (100) 1/1 (100)
IHC
NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
Total PCR results
 23/25 (92)
 24/27 (88)
 13/13 (100)
 6/9 (66)
 40/42 (95)
 8/10 (80)
 18/19 (94)
 3/3 (100)†
 3/3 (100)†
Total lesion results
 NA
 NA
 NA
 NA
 50/54 (93)
 29/53 (55)
 46/54 (85)
 22/47 (47)
 28/48 (58)
Total IHC results
 NA NA NA NA 17/22 (77) 4/6 (67) 6/22 (27) 6/8 (78) 2/5 (40)

*Lesions were detected by using histopathologic analysis. A, major autolysis; IHC, immunohistochemical analysis; NA, not assessed; OP, oropharyngeal. †Sample includes pooled liver and spleen.

Main Article

Page created: October 31, 2023
Page updated: November 18, 2023
Page reviewed: November 18, 2023
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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