Emergence and potential transmission route of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus in domestic cats in Poland, June 2023

Euro Surveill. 2023 Aug;28(31):2300390. doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.31.2300390.ABSTRACTIn June 2023, a fatal disease outbreak in cats occurred in Poland. Most cases tested in Poland (29 of 47) were positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A (H5N1) virus. Genetic analyses revealed clade 2.3.4.4b with point mutations indicative of initial mammalian hosts adaptations. Cat viral sequences were highly similar (n = 21), suggesting a potential common infection source. To investigate possible infection routes, our group tested food samples from affected households. HPAI H5N1 virus was detected in one poultry meat sample.PMID:37535471 | PMC:PMC10401914 | DOI:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2023.28.31.2300390

Source: Euro Surveill - August 3, 2023 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Lukasz Rabalski Aleksandra Milewska Anne Pohlmann Karolina Gackowska Tomasz Lepionka Klaudiusz Szczepaniak Agnieszka Swiatalska Izabela Sieminska Zbigniew Arent Martin Beer Marion Koopmans Maciej Grzybek Krzysztof Pyrc Source Type: research