Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detected in 41 At-risk Species in Canada

Damien O Joly; Yohannes Berhane; Jeff Bowman; Jolene A Giacinti; Dayna Goldsmith; Nathan Hentze; Megan E B Jones; Claire M Jardine; Stéphane Lair; Erin K Leonard; Ariane Massé; Samira Mubareka; Cynthia Pekarik; Julie Paré; Neil Pople; Margo J Pybus; Brian Stevens; Trevor Thompson; Amie Enns; Maeve Winchester

doi:10.7589/JWD-D-25-00048

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Detected in 41 At-risk Species in Canada

J Wildl Dis. 2025 Oct 1;61(4):1120-1124. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-25-00048.

Authors

Damien O Joly¹, Yohannes Berhane², Jeff Bowman³, Jolene A Giacinti⁴, Dayna Goldsmith⁵, Nathan Hentze⁶, Megan E B Jones⁷, Claire M Jardine⁸, Stéphane Lair⁹, Erin K Leonard¹⁰, Ariane Massé¹¹, Samira Mubareka¹², Cynthia Pekarik¹³, Julie Paré², Neil Pople¹⁴, Margo J Pybus¹⁵, Brian Stevens⁸, Trevor Thompson¹³, Amie Enns¹⁶, Maeve Winchester¹⁷

Affiliations

¹ Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5B4, Canada.
² Science Branch, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2, Canada.
³ Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 2140 East Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 1Z8, Canada.
⁴ Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Science and Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Rd., Burlington, Ontario L7S 1A1, Canada.
⁵ Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, University of Calgary Clinical Skills Building, 11877 85th St. NW, Calgary, Alberta T3R 1J3, Canada.
⁶ B.C. Conservation Data Centre, Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, 2975 Jutland Road, 2nd Floor-NRIDS, Victoria, British Columbia V8T 5J9, Canada.
⁷ Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Ave., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3, Canada.
⁸ Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada.
⁹ Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2, Canada.
¹⁰ Public Health Agency of Canada, Maritime Centre, 15th Floor, 1505 Barrington St., Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2A4, Canada.
¹¹ Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, 880 chemin Sainte-Foy, 2e étage, Québec, Québec G1S 4X4, Canada.
¹² Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto; Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Ave., Suite B103, Toronto, Ontario M4K 1J2, Canada.
¹³ Wildlife Management and Regulatory Affairs Division, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Canada, Place Vincent Massey, 351 Saint-Joseph Blvd, Gatineau, Québec K1A 0H3, Canada.
¹⁴ Veterinary Diagnostic Services, Manitoba Agriculture, 545 University Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 5S6, Canada.
¹⁵ Fish and Wildlife Stewardship, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas, Fish and Wildlife, 6909-116 St., Edmonton, Alberta T6H 4P2, Canada.
¹⁶ NatureServe Canada, 2040 Montague Street, Regina, Saskatchewan S4T 3J7, Canada.
¹⁷ B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, B.C. Wildlife Health Program, 2080 Labieux Road, Nanaimo, British Columbia V9T 6J9, Canada.

PMID: 41043086
DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-25-00048

Abstract

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5Nx virus clade 2.3.4.4b has impacted wild birds and mammals in Canada since late 2021, including at-risk species. We compared detections and conservation status to highlight the need to integrate disease surveillance with conservation planning when assessing risks and to guide management.

MeSH terms

Animals
Animals, Wild / virology
Birds
Canada / epidemiology
Conservation of Natural Resources
Influenza A virus* / classification
Influenza A virus* / isolation & purification
Influenza A virus* / pathogenicity
Influenza in Birds* / epidemiology
Influenza in Birds* / virology
Mammals / virology
Sentinel Surveillance / veterinary