Pathology and virology of natural high pathogenicity avian influenza A(H5N1) Gs/GD genotype BB virus infection in wild black-headed gulls (Chroicocephalus ridibundus).

ABSTRACT: The ongoing worldwide outbreak of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) H5 of the Goose/Guangdong (Gs/GD) lineage has caused unprecedented mortality amongst an ever-expanding number of avian and mammalian species. This includes black-headed gulls, which suffered high mortality from this virus in 2022 and 2023. We performed pathological and virological analyses on black-headed gulls and a common tern found dead in a breeding site in The Netherlands in spring 2023 in order to characterise the pathogenesis of HPAI Gs/GD virus infection in these species. We found a strong tropism of HPAI H5 Gs/GD virus for the central nervous system, pancreas, lungs, and the preen gland, with acute necrosis as the main associated lesion. Affected organs revealed high virus RNA loads and intralesional expre

SUBMITTER: Veldhuis Kroeze EJB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12752434 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature