Preprint Communication Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

White-Tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus Albicilla) Die-Off due to Infection with Highly Pathogenic Influenza Virus, Subtype H5N8, in Germany

Oliver Krone
* ORCID logo ,
Anja Globig
,
Reiner Ulrich
,
Timm Harder
,
Jan Schinköthe
,
Christof Herrmann
,
Sascha Gerst
,
Franz J. Conraths
,
Martin Beer
Version 1 : Received: 10 July 2018 / Approved: 11 July 2018 / Online: 11 July 2018 (12:30:00 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Krone, O.; Globig, A.; Ulrich, R.; Harder, T.; Schinköthe, J.; Herrmann, C.; Gerst, S.; Conraths, F.J.; Beer, M. White-Tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) Die-Off Due to Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus, Subtype H5N8, in Germany. Viruses 2018, 10, 478. Krone, O.; Globig, A.; Ulrich, R.; Harder, T.; Schinköthe, J.; Herrmann, C.; Gerst, S.; Conraths, F.J.; Beer, M. White-Tailed Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) Die-Off Due to Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus, Subtype H5N8, in Germany. Viruses 2018, 10, 478.

Abstract

In contrast to previous incursions of highly pathogenic H5 viruses, H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4b caused numerous lethal infections in white-tailed sea eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Germany during the winter 2016/2017. Until April 2017, 17 HPAIV H5N8-positive white-tailed sea eagles had been detected (three alive and 14 dead). Mainly young eagles died (before reaching the adult plumage at 5 years), often with severe neurological symptoms, where histopathology revealed mild to moderate, oligo- to multifocal necrotizing polioencephalitis. Lethal lead (Pb) concentrations, proven as main mortality factor of the sea eagles could be ruled out since values measured in liver or kidney tissue were all within background levels (< 1 ppm). Since the fall of 2016, the epizootic of HPAIV H5 clade 2.3.4.4b reportedly induced, for the first time, fatal disease in European white-tailed see eagles. The virus strain may become a new threat to a highly protected species across its distribution range in Eurasia. Positive cloacal swaps have proven that the eagles can spread the virus with their faeces.

Keywords

clade 2.3.4.4b; fatal infection; avian flu; HPAIV H5N8; neurological symptoms; bird of prey; raptor

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Virology

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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