Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus: How Far Are We from a New Pandemic?
Simple Summary
Abstract
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Mostafa, A.; Naguib, M.M.; Nogales, A.; Barre, R.S.; Stewart, J.P.; García-Sastre, A.; Martinez-Sobrido, L. Avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in dairy cattle: Origin, evolution, and cross-species transmission. mBio 2024, 15, e0254224. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Webby, R.J.; Uyeki, T.M. An Update on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus, Clade 2.3.4.4b. J. Infect. Dis. 2024, 230, 533–542. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 1880–1959 Highlights in the History of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) Timeline. Available online: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/avian-timeline/1880-1959.html (accessed on 12 April 2025).
- USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Emergence and Evolution of H5N1 Bird Flu. 2023. Available online: https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/128155 (accessed on 22 May 2025).
- USA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Avian Influenza (Bird Flu). 2024. Available online: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/about/index.html (accessed on 22 May 2025).
- Huang, P.; Sun, L.; Li, J.; Wu, Q.; Rezaei, N.; Jiang, S.; Pan, C. Potential cross-species transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 subtype (HPAI H5) viruses to humans calls for the development of H5-specific and universal influenza vaccines. Cell Discov. 2023, 9, 58. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Uhart, M.M.; Vanstreels, R.E.T.; Nelson, M.I.; Olivera, V.; Campagna, J.; Zavattieri, V.; Lemey, P.; Campagna, C.; Falabella, V.; Rimondi, A. Epidemiological data of an influenza A/H5N1 outbreak in elephant seals in Argentina indicates mammal-to-mammal transmission. Nature Commun. 2024, 15, 9516. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Stimmelmayr, R.; Rotstein, D.; Torchetti, M.K.; Gerlach, R. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus A(H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Infection in Free-Ranging Polar Bear, Alaska, USA. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2024, 30, 1660–1663. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Thorsson, E.; Zohari, S.; Roos, A.; Banihashem, F.; Bröjer, C.; Neimanis, A. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in a Harbor Porpoise, Sweden. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2023, 29, 852–855. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Murawski, A.; Fabrizio, T.; Ossiboff, R.; Kackos, C.; Jeevan, T.; Jones, J.C.; Kandeil, A.; Walker, D.; Turner, J.C.; Patton, C.; et al. Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus in a common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in Florida. Commun. Biol. 2024, 7, 476. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Parums, D.V. Editorial: Rapid Testing for the Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus is Urgently Required as Infections in Poultry and Dairy Cows are on the Rise, and so is Transmission to Humans. Med. Sci. Monit. 2025, 31, e949109. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lopez, J.W.; Woods, G.T. Influenza virus in ruminants: A review. Res. Commun. Chem. Pathol. Pharmacol. 1984, 45, 445–462. [Google Scholar]
- Mahase, E. H5N1: UK reports world’s first case in a sheep. BMJ 2025, 388, r591. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Burrough, E.R.; Magstadt, D.R.; Petersen, B.; Timmermans, S.J.; Gauger, P.C.; Zhang, J.; Siepker, C.; Mainenti, M.; Li, G.; Thompson, A.C.; et al. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Clade 2.3.4.4b Virus Infection in Domestic Dairy Cattle and Cats, United States, 2024. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2024, 30, 1335–1343. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Garg, S.; Reinhart, K.; Couture, A.; Kniss, K.; Davis, C.T.; Kirby, M.K.; Murray, E.L.; Zhu, S.; Kraushaar, V.; Wadford, D.A.; et al. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus Infections in Humans. N. Engl. J. Med. 2025, 392, 843–854. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Van Reeth, K. Avian and swine influenza viruses: Our current understanding of the zoonotic risk. Vet. Res. 2007, 38, 243–260. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Perez-Acle, T.; Ravello, C.; Rosemblatt, M. Are we cultivating the perfect storm for a human avian influenza pandemic? Biol. Res. 2024, 57, 96. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lin, T.H.; Zhu, X.; Wang, S.; Zhang, D.; McBride, R.; Yu, W.; Babarinde, S.; Paulson, J.C.; Wilson, I.A. A single mutation in bovine influenza H5N1 hemagglutinin switches specificity to human receptors. Science 2024, 386, 1128–1134. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Bauer, L.; Benavides, F.F.W.; Veldhuis Kroeze, E.J.B.; de Wit, E.; van Riel, D. The neuropathogenesis of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5Nx viruses in mammalian species including humans. Trends Neurosci. 2023, 46, 953–970. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Di Guardo, G. Central Nervous System Disorders of Marine Mammals: Models for Human Disease? Pathogens 2024, 13, 684. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gu, C.; Maemura, T.; Guan, L.; Eisfeld, A.J.; Biswas, A.; Kiso, M.; Uraki, R.; Ito, M.; Trifkovic, S.; Wang, T.; et al. A human isolate of bovine H5N1 is transmissible and lethal in animal models. Nature 2024, 636, 711–718. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Santos, J.J.; Wang, S.; McBride, R.; Adams, L.; Harvey, R.; Zhao, Y.; Wrobel, A.G.; Gamblin, S.; Skehel, J.; Lewis, N.S.; et al. Bovine H5N1 binds poorly to human-type sialic acid receptors. Nature 2025, 640, E18–E20. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Hatta, M.; Hatta, Y.; Choi, A.; Hossain, J.; Feng, C.; Keller, M.W.; Ritter, J.M.; Huang, Y.; Fang, E.; Pusch, E.A.; et al. An influenza mRNA vaccine protects ferrets from lethal infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus. Sci. Transl. Med. 2024, 16, eads1273. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Jones, K.E.; Patel, N.G.; Levy, M.A.; Storeygard, A.; Balk, D.; Gittleman, J.L.; Daszak, P. Global trends in emerging infectious diseases. Nature 2008, 451, 990–993. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Goodman, J.L.; Baylor, N.W.; Katz, R.; Gostin, L.O.; Bright, R.A.; Lurie, N.; Gellin, B.G. Prepare now for a potential H5N1 pandemic. Science 2025, 387, 1047. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Di Guardo, G. No veterinarians (yet) on the Italian COVID-19 Scientific Committee. BMJ 2021, 374, n1719. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2025 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Di Guardo, G. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus: How Far Are We from a New Pandemic? Vet. Sci. 2025, 12, 566. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12060566
Di Guardo G. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus: How Far Are We from a New Pandemic? Veterinary Sciences. 2025; 12(6):566. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12060566
Chicago/Turabian StyleDi Guardo, Giovanni. 2025. "Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus: How Far Are We from a New Pandemic?" Veterinary Sciences 12, no. 6: 566. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12060566
APA StyleDi Guardo, G. (2025). Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus: How Far Are We from a New Pandemic? Veterinary Sciences, 12(6), 566. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12060566