Highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) viruses were detected in waterfowl at 2 zoos in India in October 2016. Both viruses were different 7:1 reassortants of H5N8 viruses isolated in May 2016 from wild birds in the Russian Federation and China, suggesting virus spread during southward winter migration of birds.
Keywords: HPAI; India; clade 2.3.4.4; highly pathogenic avian influenza virus; influenza; phylogenetic analysis; subtype H5N8; viruses; waterfowl; zoonoses; zoos.