Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Preparedness, Monitoring & Response
A COMNAP project to enable action due to the arrival of
HPAI in the Antarctic
On 24 February 2024, the first confirmed cases in birds in the Antarctic Treaty area (Peninsula region) were reported by the Argentine and Spanish national Antarctic programs.
COMNAP national Antarctic programs preparation and vigilance lead to reports of wildlife indicating behaviour or symptoms indicative of HPAI in the Peninsula region, these are considered suspected cases. Sample collection and testing are carried out by national Antarctic programs but is not possible for all suspected cases. Testing takes time and so there is a delay in reported confirmed cases.
A one-page summary has been produced by COMNAP with information. Full guidance (version 1/30 August 2023) for COMNAP Members is also available by way of the Member’s Only Document area.
National Antarctic Programs HPAI News
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Avian flu is a viral infection that is highly contagious among birds and is found in domestic poultry and wild birds. Recently, infection has also been identified in mammals. All wild birds carry avian influenza viruses. Some are called “low pathogenic” strains because they cause no to minor symptoms. Some are called “high pathogenic” strains because they result in severe disease and high mortality rates. The global spread and progress of avian flu is a continuing and evolving situation that is constantly changing. Right now, we are concerned about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and the specific strain H5N1 which has killed hundreds of thousands of birds in the northern hemisphere and has spread very rapidly to the southern hemisphere.
Vigilance by all Antarctic operators has led to reports of suspected cases, on 24 February 2024, Argentina and Spain reported that they had confirmed through testing positive cases of HPAI in Skuas in the Antarctic Peninsula region.
We can’t stop the natural migration of birds and so we cannot stop the virus from spreading to other areas of Antarctica. We are looking for signs of HPAI in Antarctic species and reporting these signs and openly sharing information. We are taking extra precautions to prevent the intra-continental spread of the virus by human activity, and to protect our human expeditioners from contracting the disease from infected birds and mammals.
A one-page summary has been produced by COMNAP with information. Full guidance (version 1/30 August 2023) for COMNAP Members is also available by way of the Member’s Only Document area.
Programs should remain vigilant and review the information presented on this page and in the graphic display on a regular basis throughout the Antarctic season. This information will be updated as new research and information becomes available. Also refer to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) for the latest information: https://www.woah.org/en/home/
Statement released on 21 December 2023 by the OFFLU Network on Avian Influenza: https://www.offlu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/OFFLU-wildlife-statement-no.-II.pdf.
What does this heightened risk mean for national Antarctic programs?
Risk assessment.
The SCAR Antarctic Wildlife Health Working Group (AWHWG) published its risk assessment. The information noted the expected pathways for arrival of HPAI in Antarctic species with the highest likelihood being directly from South America into the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands. Continued vigilance is needed to look for signs of sick birds and higher than usual mortality events in birds and seals in those areas.
What species are potentially involved?
HPAI has been identified in seabirds globally with almost one hundred species affected to date. For Antarctica, gulls and skuas appear to be the most at risk species. Mammals can catch HPAI also. Although there are risks to humans, that risk is low and can be mitigated by staying away from wildlife, from wildlife colonies or nesting areas and for taking precautions while in the field or by closing sites with wildlife so that people remain away from any possible infected species or sites. Fur seals and sea lions are vulnerable to HPAI with recent outbreaks recorded in those mammals with high mortality rates. Penguins and albatross are at risk too.
What are the signs of HPAI?
Birds can easily catch avian influenza from each other. The virus spreads rapidly and results in high mortality rates. So, if there are several dead birds in any one location, it may be an indication that the virus is present. Not all infected birds appear sick. However, some signs to look for in birds are: nervousness; tremors; lack of coordination; swelling or redness around head, neck and eyes; lack of energy or movement; coughing, sneezing or gasping for air; diarrhea. If you are in Antarctica and you witness these unusual behaviors in birds, report this to your station manager and stay away from the birds. It is especially important not to touch or get close even to a dead bird as the virus can be transferred through contact with an infected carcass and bird feces/excrement for a period of time after the death of the animal.
What can program’s do now?
Download the COMNAP Guidance on HPAI Preparedness in Response to the Heightened Risk (version 1/30 August 2023) from the Member’s Only Documents area of the COMNAP Website. Review your program’s biosecurity procedures. Also, take stock of station/vessel supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all personnel but especially for those who are authorized/permitted to come into contact with birds this season. If your station/vessel has a biology lab that is going to be used this season, carefully review lab procedures and specimen handling protocols in light of the possibility that HPAI may present in Antarctic species. Think about your station plans for outbreak of infectious disease and make sure they are up-to-date. Include in your pre-deployment training sessions information on the heightened risk of HPAI in Antarctica. Ensure that all personnel understand there is a risk of infection in humans and while that risk is low, the consequences are high, with mortality rates in humans being 50%.
HPAI is a globally reportable disease. Follow the current global reports at https://www.woah.org/en/disease/avian-influenza/#ui-id-2 and the reports for the sub-Antarctic and Antarctic region at https://scar.org/library-data/avian-flu and make a report of suspected or confirmed cases as per your national Antarctic protocols that are in place.
The community is contributing to a graphic display of suspected and confirmed cases in the sub-Antarctic and in the Antarctic Treaty Area that is publicly available here.
There is an updated statement released 22 December from the SCAR Antarctic Wildlife Health Network and from the COMNAP/SCAR Joint Expert Group on Human Biology & Medicine here.
COMNAP Member national Antarctic programs guidance
Several COMNAP Member national Antarctic programs and their countries have prepared guidance in relation to the heightened risk of HPAI in Antarctica and in the Arctic. This information is shared below in no particular order. National Antarctic programs are encouraged to share their information through the COMNAP Secretariat as it becomes available:
CPE/Spain HPAI Protocol [Spanish Language]
PROANTAR/Brazil HPAI Protocol [Portuguese Language]
INACH/Chile HPAI Protocol [Spanish Language]
Antarctica New Zealand HPAI Information for events (October 2023) [COMNAP Members credentials required].
AVIAN INFLUENZA IN CANADA: Update for northern communities & general information (Graphic) (Video).
NSF US Antarctic Program HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA GUIDANCE: Environmental Update (September 2022).
UK procedure for preventing HPAI in Antarctica: BRITISH ANTARCTIC SURVEY (BAS) Response to a potential avian flu epidemic in ATCM XLV IP039 (May 2023).
Chile (INACH) Implementation for Behavioral Protocol in Antarctica and Monitoring for the HPAI Virus in the Magallanes Region.
The Chilean General Bernardo O’Higgins Station (BAE) and its role in the prevention of HPAI H5N1.
The Republic of Korea submitted IP023 rev 1 to ACTM XLV on Rapid Detection of Avian Flu.
COMNAP, IAATO and SCAR submitted an Information Paper (IP101) to the ATCM XLV Heightened Risk of Avian Influenza in the Antarctic Treaty Area (May 2023).
The European Polar Board is sharing information to its Membership here: https://www.europeanpolarboard.org/communications/upcoming-issues-of-importance/.
The Joint (COMNAP/SCAR) Expert Group on Human Biology & Medicine (JEGHBM) has produced a summary and practical guide with supporting information on impact of avian influenza on humans (June 2023). Together, with the SCAR Antarctic Wildlife Health Network (AWHN), the JEGHBM as produced updated guidance (22 December 2023).
A recording (3 hours in duration) of the Risk of Avian Influenza in Antarctica Workshop (30 July 2023) is available to view on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/Xzm1ApfqphU.
The Workshop was chaired by Meagan Dewar who presented on the risks and species likely to be involved. That presentation is shared here with Meagan’s permission and is current as at 30 July 2023: AWHG Risk Assessment, pathways & species.
A presentation by Michelle Wille provided some very useful background and is shared here with Michelle’s permission: Avian Influenza 101.
The SCAR AWHN published on 13 September 2023 a paper titled Biological Risk Assessment of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the Southern Ocean. The SCAR AWHN in collaboration with COMNAP and IAATO have established a HPAI database to monitor and record information submitted to the AWHN on the spread of HPAI outbreaks in the sub-Antarctic and Antarctica throughout the 2023/24 Austral Summer. This database will form a central reporting system to collate detailed scientific information on HPAI. The AWHN will also provide regular updates on current cases and recommendations via the SCAR HPAI webpage (https://scar.org/library-data/avian-flu).
Other information (as it becomes available):
FAO, WHO and WOAH release a preliminary assessment on HPAI (23 April 2024): Joint FAO/WHO/WOAH preliminary assessment of recent influenza A(H5N1) viruses
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International team of scientists determine further spread of HPAI in the Antarctic Peninsula region (4 April 2024): Federation University (Australia) media release
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COMNAP Chair Nature Comment (15 March 2024): Bird-flu threat disrupts Antarctic penguin studies (nature.com)
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Avian influenza has killed millions of seabirds around the world: Antarctica could be next.
As reported in The Conversation (22 December 2023) https://theconversation.com/avian-influenza-has-killed-millions-of-seabirds-around-the-world-antarctica-could-be-next-216738
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Information regarding High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI), guidelines for handling and disposing of seabirds and marine mammals by vessels in CCAMLR waters are avaialble here
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ACAP has issued guidance for working with albatrosses and petrels that can be found here: https://www.acap.aq/resources/disease-threats/avian-flu
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Deadly bird flu strain H5N1, which threatens seabirds and seals, expected to reach Antarctica this summer.
As reported in the ABC News (14 October 2023) https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-14/antarctica-on-alert-for-bird-flu-in-seabirds-h5n1/102972370
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Australian scientist monitor bird flu risk in Antarctica (13 October 2023) https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2023/aad-scientists-monitor-bird-flu-risk-in-antarctica/?mtm_campaign=antarctic-insider&mtm_keyword=antarctic-insider-november-2023&mtm_source=newsletter&mtm_medium=email&mtm_content=monitoring-bird-flu-risk-in-antarctica
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Australian scientists monitor bird flu risk in Antarctica.
As reported by the Australian Antarctic Division (13 October 2023) https://www.antarctica.gov.au/news/2023/aad-scientists-monitor-bird-flu-risk-in-antarctica/
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The Response to Avian Influenza – Information for Guests.
IAATO has publicly shared this document with information on guests travelling to Antarctica this season. (11 October 2023) https://iaato.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/The-Response-to-Avian-Influenza-%E2%80%93-Information-for-Guests-2023-24.pdf
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Experts fear mass wipe-out of penguins as Antarctica braces for bird flu.
As reported in The telegraph (25 September 2023) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/bird-flu-penguin-antarctica-virus-pandemic-argentina/
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Bird Flu Raced Through South America. Antarctica Could Be Next.
As reported in the New York Times (30 August 2023) https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/science/birds-flu-antarctica.html?smid=url-share
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Southward expansion of high pathogenicity avian influenza H5 in wildlife in South America: estimated impact on wildlife populations, and risk of incursion into Antarctica
As reported on the WOAH and FAO Network of Expertise on Avian Influenza (24 August 2023) https://www.offlu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/OFFLU-statement-HPAI-wildlife-South-America-20230823.pdf
HPAI H5 virus has spread to the southern tip of South America very rapidly and there is a substantial risk it will continue southwards and in the near future reach Antarctica and its offshore islands, which provide breeding habitat for over 100 million birds every spring, and which are inhabited by 6 species of pinnipeds and 17 species of cetaceans (Harris et al, 2015; Wilson & Reeder, 2005). This risk may be increased in coming months due to the spring migration of wild birds from South America to breeding sites in the Antarctic. The negative impact of this virus on Antarctic wildlife could be immense—likely worse than that on South American wildlife—because many Antarctic species of birds and mammals are closely related to species in Eurasia and the Americas that are known to have suffered high mortality from HPAI H5 virus infection, and because many Antarctic species occur in dense colonies of up to thousands of pinnipeds and hundreds of thousands of birds, allowing efficient virus transmission among individuals.
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Is deadly bird flu coming to New Zealand this spring?
As reported in Stuff Press (19 August 2023) https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300953230/is-a-deadly-bird-flu-coming-to-new-zealand-this-spring
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Argentine authorities Friday confirmed the detection of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 in sea lions found dead on the Tierra del Fuego shores
As reported in the Merco Press (16 August 2023) https://en.mercopress.com/2023/08/12/bird-flu-detected-in-dead-sea-lions-on-tierra-del-fuego-shores
“The finding was made in 7 of 21 fur seals found dead in Río Grande, in the province of Tierra del Fuego,” Argentina's National Agrifood Health and Quality Service (Senasa) said in a statement after laboratory tests were returned. Samples had been sent for analysis as avian flu H5 was feared following the finding of the lifeless animals. “To date, two previous suspicions in sea lions had been treated in the country and were negative,” Senasa also pointed out.
Given these findings, a follow-up committee for the development of control and containment tasks was created by Senasa together with the provincial government and the mayor's office of the city of Río Grande.
Senasa also said it was working with local authorities in different regions of the South American country since “the state of alert is maintained in view of the behavior of the disease and its forms of transmission and dissemination.”
“According to international experience, it has been observed that marine mammals can be susceptible to avian influenza and that, with low frequency, they can become infected,” Senasa argued. The agency also mentioned other positive cases in Peru and Chile.
Earlier this week, the Argentine government declared the nation bird-flu free. The first case of avian influenza in Argentina was confirmed on Feb. 15 in the northern province of Jujuy.
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Quick update on the Avian Influenza situation (16 February 2023)
Received from M. Dewar on behalf of Antarctic Wildlife Health Network
HPAI H5N1 continues its southward movement in Chile with the virus recently detected in Los Lagos. In Peru, over 500 sea lions and 55,000 seabirds (at last report) have died from HPAI including Humboldt penguins. Argentina and Uruguay have also just detected their first cases in an Andean Goose and Black-necked swan respectively. This is also the first cases detected along the Atlantic flyway which is a suspected entry route for previous low pathogenic influenza detections in the Antarctic. The presence of HPAI in Southern Chile and now Argentina and Uruguay raises the risk for HPAI in the sub-Antarctic region.
Another risk factor to consider is the movement of prospecting juvenile seabirds, as potential spreaders. Prospecting juvenile black-browed albatrosses regularly move between sub-Antarctic colonies during the breeding season with approximately 10% of the population moving on a daily basis which means thousands of birds are moving between islands each day. This behaviour could also be something that could lead to the introduction of HPAI between South America and sub-Antarctic areas via other seabird species. Given our limited knowledge on the movement of juveniles for many seabirds, this is an unknown risk.
There have also been large mortality events in pinnipeds in Peru and Russia linked to HPAI H5N1, so the risk to pinnipeds is also high especially for those that co-exist with seabirds. There is also suggestion that mammal-to-mammal transmission occurred during these outbreaks, but that has not yet been confirmed. There is a need to be vigilant for signs of disease in pinnipeds as well.