High pathogenicity avian influenza in Australia and beyond: could avian influenza cause the next human pandemic?

Megan Airey; Kirsty R. Short

doi:10.1071/MA24040

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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High pathogenicity avian influenza in Australia and beyond: could avian influenza cause the next human pandemic?

Megan Airey ^A and Kirsty R. Short ^A ^*

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

Megan Airey is a post-graduate student at The University of Queensland. She completed her BSc(Hons) degree in 2023, specialising in highly pathogenic avian influenza virus evolution within the research group of Assoc. Prof. Kirsty Short. She has also contributed to research on SARS-CoV-2 and its effect on host immunology within this group.

Assoc. Prof. Kirsty Short is a virologist who specialises in all aspects of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza virus pathogenesis. Dr Short is a NHMRC Principal Research Fellow.

^* Correspondence to: k.short@uq.edu.au

Microbiology Australia https://doi.org/10.1071/MA24040

Submitted: 18 June 2024 Accepted: 4 August 2024 Published: 19 August 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the ASM. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

The primary natural reservoir for avian influenza viruses is wild waterfowl. In poultry, some of these viruses can evolve into high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) that cause significant disease. HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b is a current variant of concern that has caused mass die-offs of wild birds, land and marine mammals all across the world since its emergence in 2020. This article explores the history associated with HPAIVs, as well as the current global situation pertaining to HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.3.4b and the HPAIV situation in Australia. This variant will continue to evolve, and as it infects more mammalian hosts, it will inevitably continue to acquire mammalian adaptations. This has led to increased concern that HPAIV H5N1 could spill over into humans more efficiently and potentially cause the next human pandemic

Keywords: high pathogenicity avian influenza, HPAIV H5N1 clade 2.3.3.4b, influenza A virus, mammalian adaptations, wild landfowl, wild waterfowl.

Biographies

Megan Airey is a post-graduate student at The University of Queensland. She completed her BSc(Hons) degree in 2023, specialising in highly pathogenic avian influenza virus evolution within the research group of Assoc. Prof. Kirsty Short. She has also contributed to research on SARS-CoV-2 and its effect on host immunology within this group.

Assoc. Prof. Kirsty Short is a virologist who specialises in all aspects of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza virus pathogenesis. Dr Short is a NHMRC Principal Research Fellow.

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