Emerging and Re-Emerging Avian Influenza Viruses in Wildlife
A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Viral Pathogens".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2025 | Viewed by 84
Special Issue Editor
Interests: host–pathogen interactions; avian diseases; avian influenza virus; conservation research; high-throughput sequencing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Avian influenza viruses (AIVs) remain a significant threat to wildlife, domestic animals, and human health. As members of the Orthomyxoviridae family, AIVs are categorized by their hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) subtypes. Wild birds, particularly waterfowl, serve as the natural reservoirs of these viruses and play a vital role in their ecology—facilitating viral evolution, reassortment, and global transmission.
In recent years, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV), notably H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4, have increasingly affected not only avian populations but also a wide range of mammalian hosts. Over 43 mammalian species across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia have been impacted by spillover events. In some cases—especially among marine mammals—these infections have been severe and fatal. Alarmingly, 2024 marked the first reported cases of efficient cow-to-cow and cow-to-human transmission of HPAIV, a pattern not previously observed in the A/goose/Guangdong (GsGD) lineage.
This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances and emerging insights in the biology, evolution, and ecology of avian influenza viruses in wildlife. We welcome original research and review articles focused on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Surveillance and epidemiology of AIVs in wild birds and mammals;
- Genomic and phylogenetic studies on AIV evolution;
- Impact of AIVs on wildlife populations and conservation;
- Spillover risk and interspecies transmission dynamics;
- Climate change effects on AIV distribution and migratory pathways;
- Wildlife management and control strategies;
- Novel diagnostic, modeling, and predictive tools;
- Application of high-throughput sequencing in virus detection and characterization.
We encourage submissions from the fields of virology, immunology, evolutionary biology, ecology, and public health. Studies incorporating novel methodologies and interdisciplinary approaches are especially welcome. We look forward to your valuable contributions to this important collection.
Dr. Klaudia Chrzastek
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- avian influenza virus
- HPAIV
- LPAIV
- wildlife
- surveillance
- epidemiology
- phylogenetics
- next-generation sequencing
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