Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Virus Infections in Wild Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) Show Neurotropism and Adaptive Virus Mutations

• DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02867-22
• Publication Date: 2023-01-23T09:02:29Z
• Authors: Luca Bordes; Sandra Vreman; Rene Heutink; Marit Roose; Sandra Venema; Sylvia B. E. Prit...; Jolianne M. Rijks; José L. Gonzales; Evelien A. Germeraad; Marc Engelsma; Nancy Beerens
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; fox; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; neurotropism; Foxes; Animals, Wild; HPAI H5N1; zoonotic infections; Microbiology; QR1-502; virology; 3. Good health; Viral Tropism; 03 medical and health sciences; SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being; Orthomyxoviridae Infections; Mutation; Life Science; Animals; Pharynx; Phylogeny; Research Article

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses caused high mortality among wild birds from 2021 to 2022 in the Netherlands. Recently, three wild foxes were found to be infected with HPAI H5N1 viruses, likely due to the foxes feeding on infected birds.