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Viruses
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Influenza Viruses in Wildlife 2026
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Influenza Viruses in Wildlife 2026

A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 2894

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Rebecca Poulson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
Interests: influenza virus; wildlife health; epidemiology
Dr. Wendy Blay Puryear

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA
Interests: viral evolution and adaptation; influenza; wildlife

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid global spread of highly pathogenic (HP) H5N1 avian influenza virus (IAV) continues to impact domestic animal, wildlife, and human health, often with devastating consequences. Additionally, low pathogenicity (LP) IAV continue to circulate in wild birds and other wildlife species across the world, further complicating our understanding of the mechanisms driving, and in some cases, modulating, maintenance and transmission of HPAI. Research aimed at better understanding HP and LP IAV spread, evolution, diversity, and impacts in wild birds and mammals is critical to not only defining risk at critical human-animal interfaces, but equally important for defining potential threats and risks to a wide-range of wildlife species.

Resiliency of wildlife populations is key to healthy ecosystems, and as such, it is our pleasure to announce this Special Issue of Viruses entitled “Influenza Viruses in Wildlife 2025”. The focus will be on influenza viruses (both HP and LP) of non-human animal species, especially those of wild birds and mammals. We welcome submissions that include classical virology, genomic analyses, case reports, surveillance, epidemiology, and ecology of animal influenza viruses. Multi-disciplinary research is encouraged; original research and review articles will be considered for publication.

Dr. Rebecca Poulson
Dr. Wendy Blay Puryear
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • avian influenza
  • wild birds
  • wildlife
  • influenza epidemiology
  • surveillance
  • HPAI

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 2424 KB  
Article
Concern for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Spillover into Cetaceans
by Teresa Pérez-Sánchez, José Carlos Báez and Carolina Johnstone
Viruses 2025, 17(12), 1536; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17121536 - 24 Nov 2025
Viewed by 807
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) has a wide range of avian and mammalian hosts, leading to disease outbreaks and increasing the risk of panzootics and pandemics. Subtype H5N1 of clade 2.3.4.4b is causing the current high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) panzootic. Environmental changes are [...] Read more.
Influenza A virus (IAV) has a wide range of avian and mammalian hosts, leading to disease outbreaks and increasing the risk of panzootics and pandemics. Subtype H5N1 of clade 2.3.4.4b is causing the current high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) panzootic. Environmental changes are fuelling the spread of HPAI H5N1 in wildlife worldwide, with occasional spillover events from seabirds to cetaceans. Sampling difficulties and limited tests available for diagnosis are a challenge to cetacean virology research. Understanding the risk of HPAI outbreaks in cetaceans requires a comprehensive examination of events of IAV infection. Documented cases relate to IAV subtypes H1N3, H13N2, H13N9, and H5N1 and have been reported in cetaceans sampled in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans. The number of H5N1 IAV isolated from cetaceans is increasing and affects six host species of the families Delphinidae and Phocoenidae of the suborder Odontoceti. The analysis of 40 molecular markers of viral adaptation to mammals in 21 H5N1 cetacean isolates reveals mutations are present in three viral proteins: hemagglutinin (HA), polymerase basic protein 2 (PB2), and nucleoprotein (NP). Phylogenetic analysis of HA and PB2 sequences isolated from cetaceans and co-occurring cases in seabirds and marine mammals do not support sustained transmission of the virus between cetaceans. IAV H5N1 appears to be reaching cetaceans after spillover from seabirds and other marine mammals. Increasing worldwide surveillance of IAV infection of cetaceans is crucial, as these marine mammals are sentinel species for human pandemic preparedness and key species for marine biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influenza Viruses in Wildlife 2026)
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11 pages, 924 KB  
Communication
Serological Evidence of Exposure to Eurasian-Lineage HPAI H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b in Wild Mammals in Ohio, USA, 2024–2025
by Mohammad Jawad Jahid, Madison C. Owsiany, Lauren M. Smith, Bryant M. Foreman, Zijing Cao, Deborah L. Carter, David E. Stallknecht, Brendan Shirkey, Rebecca L. Poulson and Jacqueline M. Nolting
Viruses 2025, 17(10), 1388; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17101388 - 18 Oct 2025
Viewed by 944
Abstract
The Goose/Guandong lineage of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus [A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996(H5N1)] is the progenitor of the currently circulating Eurasian-lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b and has been the most consequential highly pathogenic avian influenza lineage globally. Despite increased reports of infections, the [...] Read more.
The Goose/Guandong lineage of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus [A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996(H5N1)] is the progenitor of the currently circulating Eurasian-lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b and has been the most consequential highly pathogenic avian influenza lineage globally. Despite increased reports of infections, the extent of exposure and role of wild mammals in the ecology and transmission dynamics of the virus remains poorly understood. We surveyed wild mammals in Ohio, United States to investigate the potential spillover of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b. While no active infections—defined as positive results indicative of viral replication and potential propagation—were detected by swab-based molecular tests, serological assays revealed antibodies against multiple avian influenza virus antigens in raccoons and opossums. Specifically, antibodies to avian influenza virus nucleoprotein were detected in 54.9% (n = 61) of samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; antibodies to Eurasian-lineage highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 clade 2.3.4.4b and North American low pathogenic avian influenza H5 were detected in 43.2% (n = 48) and 22.5% (n = 25) of samples, respectively, using virus neutralization assays; and antibodies to avian influenza virus neuraminidase were detected in 44.1% (n = 49) of samples using enzyme-linked lectin assay. All seropositive animals were sampled at Ohio marshes with previously confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 detections in waterfowl. These findings suggest prior exposure of wild mammals to these viruses without mortality events. Wild mammals may play an intermediary role in the mammalian adaptation of avian influenza A viruses. Therefore, ongoing surveillance of wild mammals is crucial for assessing the risk to public health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influenza Viruses in Wildlife 2026)
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Review

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15 pages, 1729 KB  
Review
Mounting Evidence for an Expanded Host Range of Influenza B Viruses
by Marios Koutsakos, Rhys H. Parry and Michelle Wille
Viruses 2025, 17(12), 1528; https://doi.org/10.3390/v17121528 - 21 Nov 2025
Viewed by 650
Abstract
Influenza B viruses (IBV) belong to the family of Orthomyxoviridae and circulate annually in humans causing respiratory illness. Although they are considered an exclusively human pathogen, there is evidence of IBV infections in animals, including wildlife, companion animals and livestock. In addition, metagenomic [...] Read more.
Influenza B viruses (IBV) belong to the family of Orthomyxoviridae and circulate annually in humans causing respiratory illness. Although they are considered an exclusively human pathogen, there is evidence of IBV infections in animals, including wildlife, companion animals and livestock. In addition, metagenomic studies have identified novel orthomyxoviruses in amphibians and fish that appear related to IBV, suggesting influenza viruses, including IBV, have been associated with vertebrates across their evolutionary history. In this review, we summarise our current knowledge of potential IBV and IBV-like infections in animals. These collectively suggest that the ecology of IBV extends beyond humans and warrants further investigations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Influenza Viruses in Wildlife 2026)
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