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Coordinated surveillance for influenza and other viruses with pandemic potential










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    Policy brief
    Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH assessment of recent influenza A(H5N1) virus events in animals and people
    14 August 2024
    2024
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    During 2020, high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses arose from previously circulating influenza A(H5Nx) viruses and spread predominantly via migratory birds to many parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. This epizootic event has led to unprecedented numbers of deaths in wild birds and caused outbreaks in poultry. In late 2021, these viruses crossed the Atlantic Ocean to North America and subsequently reached South America in October 2022. Over the past few years, there have been increased detections of A(H5N1) viruses in non-avian species globally including wild and domestic (companion and farmed) terrestrial and marine mammals, with recent cases in livestock in the United States of America. The majority of A(H5N1) viruses characterized genetically since 2020 belong to the haemagglutinin (HA) H5 clade 2.3.4.4b, with some regional exceptions. Since the beginning of 2021, 35 detections of A(H5N1) virus in humans have been reported to WHO, along with five cases of A(H5) virus detection in persons exposed to A(H5N1) infected animals. Of these human cases where the A(H5) clade is known (n = 31), 17 have been caused by clade 2.3.4.4b viruses.
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    Policy brief
    Joint FAO/WHO/WOAH preliminary assessment of recent influenza A(H5N1) viruses
    23 April 2024
    2024
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    During 2020, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses arose from previously circulating influenza A(H5Nx) viruses and spread predominantly via migratory birds to many parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. The epizootic has led to unprecedented numbers of deaths in wild birds and caused outbreaks in domestic poultry. In late 2021, these viruses crossed to North America and subsequently South America in October 2022. Additionally, globally, there have been increased detections of A(H5N1) viruses in non-avian species including wild and domestic (including companion and farmed) terrestrial and marine mammals and, more recently in goats and dairy cattle in the United States of America. The majority, with some regional exceptions, of the HPAI A(H5N1) viruses characterized genetically since 2020 belong to the 2.3.4.4b clade. Since the beginning of 2021, 28 detections of A(H5N1) in humans have been reported to WHO, including a case who had exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with A(H5N1) virus. Of these human cases, where the haemagglutinin (HA) H5 clade is known, 13 have been caused by clade 2.3.4.4b viruses. This joint FAO/WHO/WOAH risk assessment focuses on A(H5N1) viruses characterized since 2021 and assesses the public health risk as well as the risk of the virus spread among animals.
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    Booklet
    Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH public health assessment of recent influenza A(H5) virus events in animals and people
    Assessment based on data as of 18 November 2024
    2024
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    During 2020, high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses arose from previously circulating influenza A(H5Nx) viruses and spread predominantly via migratory birds to many parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. This epizootic event has led to unprecedented numbers of deaths in wild birds and caused outbreaks in poultry. In late 2021, these viruses crossed the Atlantic Ocean to North America and subsequently reached South America in October 2022. Over the past few years, there have been increased detections of A(H5N1) viruses in non-avian species globally including wild and domestic (companion and farmed) terrestrial and marine mammals, with recent cases in livestock in the United States of America. The majority of A(H5N1) viruses characterized genetically since 2020 belong to the haemagglutinin (HA) H5 clade 2.3.4.4b, with some regional exceptions. Since the last joint assessment of August 2024, at least 33 additional human cases of infection with A(H5) viruses have been reported. Of these, 30 were reported from the USA.FAO, WHO, and WOAH jointly updated their assessment of the risk of zoonotic transmission (i.e., animal to human) considering additional information made available since the previous assessment of 14 August 2024. This update is limited to the inclusion of additional information being made available globally. Due to the potential risk to human health and the far-reaching implications of the disease on the health of wild bird and other animal populations, the use of a One Health approach is essential to tackle avian influenza effectively, to monitor virus circulation, to prevent within species transmission and to prevent human infections from exposure to animals.

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